# Was Jack Sparrow A Real Pirate

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-jack-sparrow-a-real-pirate/208266>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 19, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-jack-sparrow-a-real-pirate/208266 "2003-10-19T00:03:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![robo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@robo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robo99)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-jack-sparrow-a-real-pirate/208266/1 "2003-10-19T00:03:08Z")

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I’ve not found anything relating to an historical pirate figure by the name of Jack Sparrow. Seems like he was just made up. Does anybody have more info? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_to_be_Queen)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-jack-sparrow-a-real-pirate/208266/2 "2003-10-19T04:14:24Z")

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My vote is for “made up.”

Welcome.

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**Author:** ![robo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@robo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robo99)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-jack-sparrow-a-real-pirate/208266/3 "2003-10-19T04:24:12Z")

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I think so too - don’t care what Disney says. I’ve been here awhile - had to change email and so I have a new username.

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**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-jack-sparrow-a-real-pirate/208266/4 "2003-10-19T04:52:05Z")

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1. Have you emailed the administrators about that? You’re not supposed to just re-register if you have to change an email address.

2. Jack Sparrow is a fictional character. He may have been based in part upon real-life pirate “Calico” Jack Rackham, a colorful character known for his flamboyant clothes and for being the captain of the ship on which the only two known female pirates (Mary Read and Anne Bonny) served. The pirate flag featuring a skull and a pair of crossed swords was his flag, and is still properly known as the Calico Jack rather than the Jolly Roger (which is the one with skull and crossbones). However, this is all speculation from the Pirates of the Caribbean fandom; as far as I’m aware no one involved with the movie has actually said “yea” or “nay” to the Rackham connection. Sparrow does not exactly equal Rackham anyway; he’s his own fictional, ambiguous self.

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**Author:** ![robo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@robo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robo99)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-jack-sparrow-a-real-pirate/208266/5 "2003-10-19T04:55:06Z")

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I believe I was unable to change my address because my old email address was gone - so there was no way to authenticate a change of email address.