The interpretation of the J/ψ suppression patterns observed in nuclear collisions, at CERN and RHIC, as a signature of the formation of a deconfined phase of QCD matter, requires knowing which fractions of the measured J/ψ yields, in pp collisions, are due to decays of heavier charmonium states. From a detailed analysis of the available mid-rapidity charmonium hadro-production cross sections, or their ratios, we determine that the J/ψ feed-down contributions from ψ ′ and χ c decays are, respectively, (8.1 ± 0.3)% and (25 ± 5)%. These proton-proton values are derived from global averages of the proton-nucleus measurements, assuming that the charmonium states are exponentially absorbed with the length of matter they traverse in the nuclear targets.