Expert: Laura Kathryn - 6/28/2006

Question
Dear Laura,

I had browsed the internet recently and found an
article that appeared in People magazine from September 1976 in which it said Bowie is of Anglican-Catholic-Jewish origin.  Can you please verify what part, if any, of him is Jewish.  Is it from his father or mother's side?

Thank you for your time

Answer
Hello,

David Bowie has before claimed to being up to half Jewish, and this was usually around the 1976 time frame when he was defending himself against being called a racist after his infamous 'nazi salute'. However, Bowie was not raised Jewish at all. He is, at the most, quarter Jewish and on his mother's side.

I hope this helped answer your question!