Robert True Houghton was Kris Jenner’s father, a television personality and businesswoman. This also makes him the maternal grandfather of Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian, as well as Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Houghton lived long before his family became famous through television and business.
Biographies describe him as an engineer and as the former husband of Mary Jo Campbell, who later became known as Mary Jo “M.J.” Shannon. They had two daughters: Kris Jenner, whose birth name was Kristen Mary Houghton, and Karen Houghton. Robert Houghton died in 1975 in a car accident in Mexico when Kris was 19.
Interest in Houghton has increased as people look into Kris Jenner’s father, her family background, and the origin of the name “True” in the Kardashian-Jenner family.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|
| Full Name | Robert True Houghton |
| Also Known As | Bob Houghton |
| Born | 1931, San Diego, California |
| Profession | Engineer |
| Known For | Father of Kris Jenner |
| Former Spouse | Mary Jo Campbell |
| Children | Kris Jenner and Karen Houghton |
| Notable Family Connection | Maternal grandfather of Kris Jenner’s six children |
| Died | 1975 |
| Public Recognition | Houghton family history and connection to the Kardashian-Jenner family |
Biographies consistently list Robert as an engineer and as the father of Kris and her younger sister, Karen.
Who Is Robert True Houghton?
Robert True Houghton was part of the generation before the Kardashian-Jenner family became famous. His daughter, Kristen Mary Houghton (later known as Kris Jenner), was born in San Diego in 1955.
Robert was not a public figure in entertainment. Today, people know about him mostly because of the fame his daughter, grandchildren, and later family members achieved.
This difference matters when researching him. Most people search for Robert because of the Kardashian-Jenner family tree, not because of a media career. Biographies describe him as an engineer, and Biography.com specifically calls him an aircraft engineer. However, reliable sources more commonly use the general term “engineer.”
Early Life and Houghton Family Background
Robert was born in San Diego, California, in 1931. Genealogy records confirm he was born in San Diego County.
Some family history databases offer more details about earlier Houghton generations, but not all information is equally reliable. For an accurate biography, focus on well-supported facts and be careful with information from secondary sources.
One detail is well confirmed because Kris Jenner has talked about it herself: the name “True” comes from her father’s side of the family.
Kris has said her paternal grandfather was named True Otis Houghton, and her father’s full name was Robert True Houghton. This family naming tradition got new attention when Khloé Kardashian named her daughter True Thompson.
His Career as an Engineer
Be careful when discussing Robert’s professional history.
Biographies of Kris Jenner describe her father as an engineer, and Biography.com calls him an aircraft engineer. However, no public information exists about the companies he worked for, his projects, or other career details.
Because of this, view online claims about his employers, aerospace work, salary, or achievements with caution.
The facts show that Robert Houghton worked as an engineer.
His career sets him apart from his descendants. While the Kardashian-Jenner family became known for entertainment, television, fashion, and business, Robert worked in a completely different field.
Marriage to Mary Jo Campbell and Their Children
Robert married Mary Jo Campbell, who later became known as M.J. to Kardashian-Jenner fans.
They had two daughters. Their first, Kristen Mary Houghton, was born in 1955 and later became Kris Jenner. Their younger daughter, Karen Houghton, was born a few years after.
Robert and Mary Jo divorced around 1962, when Kris was still young. After the divorce, Mary Jo raised Kris and Karen, then married businessman Harry Shannon.
People sometimes overlook Robert’s connection to Kris because most know her by the names Kardashian or Jenner. Kris was born Kristen Mary Houghton, so Houghton was her original last name.
This is why people searching for Kris Jenner’s maiden name often find information about Robert.
Robert Houghton and Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner later became a well-known figure in reality TV and business, but most of her success happened after her father passed away.
Kris was a teenager when Robert died in 1975. Biographies say he died in a car crash in Mexico when Kris was 19.
Since Robert died long before Keeping Up with the Kardashians started in 2007, he was never part of the family’s television story.
Still, Kris has sometimes mentioned her father in public. When Khloé Kardashian’s daughter was born, Kris’s comments about the name confirmed her father’s full name.
The Story Behind the Name “True”
One reason people keep searching for Robert True Houghton is because of his middle name.
When Khloé Kardashian’s daughter True Thompson was born in 2018, Kris explained the family connection to the name. She said her grandfather was True Otis Houghton and her father was Robert True Houghton.
Khloé also shared that her grandmother, M.J., suggested the name and explained its meaning in the family. E! reported that “True” was used as a first name in an earlier generation and as Robert’s middle name.
This makes Robert more than a distant name on a family tree. His middle name became part of a naming tradition that reappeared several generations later.
Why People Search for Robert True Houghton
Search interest around Robert True Houghton usually comes from several closely connected questions.
Readers often want to know who Kris Jenner’s biological father was, what his job was, where the Houghton name comes from, and how Robert fits into the Kardashian-Jenner family tree.
Another reason people search is to learn about the name True. Those looking into why Khloé Kardashian chose the name True Thompson often find it comes from Kris Jenner’s father’s side.
Some people learn about Robert when researching Kris’s childhood. Because her parents separated when she was young and her mother remarried, learning about the Houghton-Shannon family helps clarify Kris Jenner’s early life.
Privacy, Accuracy, and Public Information
Robert died long before today’s celebrity media world, so much less reliable information exists about his life than about his famous family members.
For this reason, a good biography should avoid adding unverified details about his employers, finances, beliefs, or dramatic stories to make it longer.
The most reliable facts are simple: Robert True Houghton was an engineer from San Diego, Mary Jo Campbell’s former husband, and the father of Kris Jenner and Karen Houghton. His name became widely known because of his family’s later fame.
Read this too: Melissa Baker: The Remarkable Family Story of Dusty Baker’s Wife
FAQs
Was Robert True Houghton Kris Jenner’s father?
Yes. Robert True Houghton was Kris Jenner’s biological father. Kris was born Kristen Mary Houghton to Robert and Mary Jo Campbell.
What did Robert True Houghton do for a living?
Reliable biographical accounts describe him as an engineer. Biography.com specifically describes Kris Jenner’s father as an aircraft engineer.
Who was Robert Houghton’s wife?
He was married to Mary Jo Campbell, later Mary Jo Shannon. The couple eventually divorced.
How many children did Robert Houghton have with Mary Jo Campbell?
Established biographies identify two daughters: Kris Jenner and Karen Houghton.
How did Kris Jenner’s father die?
Biographical accounts report that Robert died in 1975 following a car crash in Mexico. Kris Jenner was 19 at the time.
Is True Thompson’s name connected to Robert True Houghton?
Yes. Kris Jenner explained that “True” was a family name: her paternal grandfather was True Otis Houghton, and her father was Robert True Houghton.
Robert True Houghton’s story is a small but important part of Kardashian-Jenner family history. He was not part of the celebrity world, but his last name was Kris Jenner’s original family name, and his middle name, True, became a family tradition.
For more celebrity profiles, including other Kardashian-Jenner family members and notable relatives, visit 7bio.co.uk.
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