With a last name like Bezos, you have probably wondered if Jeff Bezos is Greek or if his family has a Greek background?

Jeff Bezos isn’t Greek. His last name does end with the letters “o” and “s” which is a very common combination of letters in Greek. Bezos was actually born as Jeff Preston Jorgensen. When he was four years old, his last name was changed to Bezos.

Scroll down to learn more about who Jeff Bezos’ parents were, why his name was changed, and the origins of his surnames.

Who Were His Parents?

Bezos was born on January 12, 1964 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His parents were seventeen year old Jacklyn Gise and eighteen year old Ted Jorgensen. Neither of them are Greek.

When the teen pregnancy was discovered, Jacklyn and Ted married hastily, but seventeen months later they were divorced. 

After his parents divorced, Jeff’s father eventually disappeared from his life. The last time they saw each other was when Jeff was three years old. The two never had a relationship and there is a possibility that this had some effects on Jeff’s personal identity.

Although his father was in his life until he was three, when asked about the man in a Wired interview, Jeff stated “I’ve never met the man.” 

Bezos’ biological father didn’t know he was even the dad of the famous billionaire. You can watch the below Inside Edition interview with Ted Jorgensen by following the below YouTube link.

Why Did He Change His Last Name?

If Jeff Bezos was born Jeff Jorgensen, why exactly was his last name changed? That is actually very easily explained. 

In 1968, Jacklyn Gise remarried to Miguel “Mike” Bezos. Mike Bezos was a Cuban immigrant to the United States. When Jacklyn married him, he adopted Jeff as his own son and Jeff’s last name was changed from Jorgensen to Bezos. This means that the “Bezos” last name is probably of Spanish origin, not Greek.

But what about the origins of his birth father’s last name, Jorgensen, and his mother’s last name, Gise?