huntington-whiteley was born in plymouth, devon, the daughter of fiona ("née" jackson), a fitness instructor, and charles, a chartered surveyor. she has a brother and a sister. she grew up on a farm near tavistock, devon. she is a member of a noble family as her paternal great-grandfather, wing-commander eric huntington-whiteley jp, was the nephew of george whiteley, 1st baron marchamley and the younger son of politician sir herbert huntington-whiteley, 1st baronet; eric's wife, rosie's great-grandmother, enid kohn, was from a family of polish jews who emigrated to england in the 1870s. rosie's paternal grandmother, gillian, also from a jewish family, was the daughter of jacob franks, a prominent surgeon in sussex.