Al Pacino

Pacino in 2011, cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Alfredo James Pacino

Place of Birth: East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: April 25, 1940

Ethnicity: Italian [Sicilian, some Neapolitan]

Al Pacino is an American actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Scent of a Woman (1992). He is considered one of the best and most influential actors of all time, having also starred in The Godfather films, The Panic in Needle Park, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Cruising, Author! Author!, Scarface, Sea of Love, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Devil’s Advocate, People I Know, and The Irishman, and television’s Hunters. He directed the films Chinese Coffee and Salomé (2013), which he also co-wrote, and the documentaries Looking for Richard, which he co-wrote, and Wild Salomé, which he wrote.

He was born in Manhattan, to Rose (Gerardi) and Salvatore Alfred Pacino, who were of Italian descent. He has said:

In America most everybody who’s Italian is half Italian. Except me. I’m all Italian. I’m mostly Sicilian, and I have a little bit of Neapolitan in me. You get your full dose with me.

Al has a daughter with his former partner, acting coach Jan Tarrant; two children with his former partner, actress and singer Beverly D’Angelo; and a son with his partner, producer Noor Alfallah.

A picture of Al’s father can be seen here.

Al’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to his five times great-grandfather, Marco Pacino.

Al’s paternal grandfather was Alfio Pacino (the son of Benedetto Pacino and Maria Teresa Drago). Alfio was born in San Fratello, Province of Messina, Sicily, Italy. Benedetto was the son of Alfio Pacino and Felicia Carbonetto. Maria Teresa was the daughter of Pietro Drago and Benedetta Manera.

Al’s paternal grandmother was Giuseppa “Giuseppina/Josephine” Latteri/Lateri (the daughter of Salvatore Latteri and Carmela Bosco). Giuseppa was born in San Fratello.

Al’s maternal grandfather was Vincenzo/James Giacomo Gerardi (the son of Francisco/Frank Gerardi and Rose Depenna). Vincenzo was an Italian emigrant, from Palermo, Sicily.

Al’s maternal grandmother was Katherine/Kate Suozzo (the daughter of Nicola/Nicolo Suozzo and Angela/Angiola Maria Patrissa/Patrisso). Katherine was born in New York, to Italian parents. Nicola was the son of Vito Vincenzo and Rosa Cianci. Angela was the daughter of Giuseppe Patrissa/Patrisso and Catarina Arica.

Sources: Genealogy of Al Pacino – http://www.geni.com

Birth record of Al’s paternal grandfather, Alfio Pacino – https://familysearch.org

U.S. Naturalization record of Al’s paternal grandfather, Alfio Pacino – https://familysearch.org

Birth record of Al’s paternal grandmother, Giuseppa “Giuseppina/Josephine” Latteri/Lateri – https://familysearch.org

Al’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Al’s maternal grandparents, Vincenzo/James Giacomo Gerardi and Katherine/Kate Suozzo – https://www.familysearch.org

Al’s maternal grandfather, Vincenzo/James Giacomo Gerardi, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Al’s maternal great-grandparents, Nicola/Nicolo Suozzo and Angela/Angiola Maria Patrissa/Patrisso – https://www.familysearch.org

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

125 Responses

  1. Half-Sicilian says:

    Sicilians are Italians but have many distinct cultural traits and influences from other nations besides Italy, hence the fact that many other Italians ane even Sicilians themselves see themselves as different. The bloodlines are also somewhat different on average. Many Sicilians have Greek, Arab, Norman, Spanish, French, and even Albanian ancestry in addition to mainland Italian. @Joe: The North African Arab influence, while there, is actually overstated by many. In fact, the Greek influence is much stronger. Old Al is actually really typical for a Sicilian, and I wouldn’t say he looks that Arab.

    • Anonymous says:

      This is true, Sicilians are more Greek than the rest of Italy, Greeks conquered that part of italy, they intermarried with Estrucans and the other ancient italic people there. Sicilians look more Greek than anything.

  2. edward says:

    Sicilians have dark features because at one point Black people {Moors} ruled over southern italy

    • shelly says:

      Moors were Arabs, not Black people.

      • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

        To Shelly

        Moors were black,long before Arabized blacks came into the area

        • shelly says:

          No they weren’t, moron. They were Caucasian. Deal with it. Stop looking for a fight you can’t win. I’m sure historians, anthropologists, and authors would also (GREATLY) disagree with you.

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            To Shelly

            Again with the Insults,and again you don’t know what Caucasian means(look it up and ask does it mean white or Phenotype).

            Anyhow when the Romans entered West Africa in 46 B.C., they saw Africans and called them Maures, from the Greek adjective Mauros, meaning dark or black(they wouldn’t have called a white person that). It is from Mauros and the Latin term Marues that the word Moor is derived. Since the inhabitants of North Africa were black, the Romans and later the Europeans called them Moors.Those North Africans has a Caucasian Phenotype which was inherited from back migration into Africa.They were there for thousands of years before the Arabs came.Btw the Arabs that came through swing their swords were nicknamed (Allah’s black ravens),take a wild guess why they were called that.Arabs armies were full with black slave soldiers(Ethiopians usually)at first.Anywhere from 30,000 to 250,000 black Soldiers

            Here some history for you

            Ubada b. as-Samit,a black Leader who commanded 1000 black troops,who during the conquest of Egypt,a fact which did not go unnoticed by the Byzantine enemy:

            When ‘Ubada got on the ship to speak with the Muqawqas,”Ubada approached him,and Muqawas felt dread of his blackness

            He yell remove this black from my presence and bring me someone else to speak with me

            (the Muslims)answered together
            “He is the best of us,the most learned,and the wisest.He is our leader(sayyid).He is the most virtuous,and the most admired.We all pay attention to he says and to his views etc.

            (The Muqawqas)asked,”How do you feel about this black being the best among you when he should be the most debased?”

            They answered:”By no means!Even if he is black,he is the best of us in rank,intelligence,and in wisdom.Blackness is not something we reject.”

            All his men were blacker than he was

            I did that just to show you that the armies they had were usually full with Black soldiers
            The royal army that was created in 1088 by the Almoravid ruler Yusuf ibn Tashfin was called the Black Guard,guess why.Even the Poem called the (Song of Roland )tells you what the army was that attack Spain was.Now when your army is said to be (as black as ink and the only thing white about them was their teeth),they were black

            Here’s a berber pirate(North African):
            http://www.africaresource.com/rasta/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/riffan-pirates.jpg
            does he look black?
            Saint maurice a moor:
            http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/a/a7/20070217140413!Saint_Maurice_Magdeburg.jpg
            Everytime in the past,they talked about a moor,it usually was a black person.It wasn’t until later that they would split up the moors by calling black moors,black-a-moors(this is after slavery started).Also at this time is when moor for which northwest to west African people were called,was changed to (Negro).Have to cut this short to much to type

          • shelly says:

            Second one says the file was not found. Anyways, I know what Caucasian means and it doesn’t mean just white. But don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot. I know history well, and I know that Sicilians are indeed Caucasian.

          • black wallstreet says:

            To Shelly

            First that was you with the name calling,and the only reason I didn’t return the favor is because I don’t like doing that with girls,except my sister.Next yes Sicilians are white people,no one said they weren’t except for other white people.However as I have shown,caucasian doesn’t mean your white.Also saying you have black heritage,(IS NOT)calling you black.All that means is that with the European avg of 3-8%,that at least one of your recent ancestors 125-150yrs ago was black,that’s all.It’s nothing to get all upset about,it (DOESN’T)stop you from being a white person.My white heritage is recent,and I’m not crying about it.Anyhow if the picture of saint maurice doesn’t work,just google him

          • black wallstreet says:

            mean to say you having recent black heritage is not calling you black

          • Gale says:

            you have got to be the biggest fucking idiot i have ever seen. you just happen to be black, not surprising afterall its only the Black-Americans who believe such bullshit about sicialians because they’re an uneducated lot.

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            To Gale

            First off apparently there was someone taking my user name yesterday morning,and saying whatever they felt like.however this is the real one,an I would like to know what I said about Sicilians that has you so upset,except that I called them white?Now you say because I’m black that I believe that about Sicilians,well I can turn it around and say the same about you,that the only reason you disagree is because your white.See how that works?

        • black wallstreet says:

          To anon

          Whomever you are,your most likely a white person who can’t handle the truth.I can’t help it that I’m smarter than you are

          • black wallstreet says:

            To gale

            It’s seems you another uneducated white person who can’t handle the truth

          • Anonymous says:

            I am black & native American but you are making us black folk look retarded with your assements. Espeacialy when you commented on skin tone i don’t think you are aware of what skine tone types there are or about genetics. I however chose not to be an ignorant black woman and educate myself newsflash! everyone on earth has African halbogroup markers somewhere in their gene point hence making you sound ridiculous bringing up the african hablogroups found in Sicilians. There is no point in you even bringing up the hablogroups if they are not black! People long ago traveled to europe, they evolved, they then went back to asia and africa and evolved again (These are the present arabs, arabs are the Caucasians who left europe) and then they once again went back to europe and evolved again. Do all Europeans have black hablogroups? yes they do, are Europeans black? no they aren’t, most Europeans also have asian Hablogroups, are they asian? now they aren’t. Why bring this into the discussion?

            I saw you claim blacks can’t get dark you’re so wrong there there are different skin tones.

            Type I – The palest of them all, they almost sunburn everytime in the sun, this would apply to Scandinavians and most northern European coutries.

            Type II – White skin, usually burns with sun exposure, still prone to tanning (fair; often in people with red or blond hair and blue, green, or hazel eyes)

            Type III – White or olive skin tone, sometime burns with sun exposure, still prone to tanning (fair; seen in people with any hair or eye color)

            Type IV – Brown skin, rarely burns with sun exposure, still prone to tanning(common in people of Mediterranean descent) This would include Italians, Sicilians and all other mediterraneans.

            Type V – Dark brown skin, very rarely burns with sun exposure (common in people of Middle-Eastern descent)

            Type VI – Black skin, never burns with sun exposure, but is still prone to tanning.

            Don’t spew bullshit! seriously how do you think africans got dark in the first place? do you know a thing about evolution? they are that dark because they needed to be to survive. A real dark skin person could not survive in a Scandinavian/Cold country just like a super pale person could never survive in a extremely hot african climate. learn something for a changge.

          • Anonymous says:

            Correction. Italians & Sicilians would be in the “Type III” category, excuse the mistake.

          • black wallstreet says:

            To anon

            yet another one,first pick a name.Next I don’t think your black so stop lying.Please stop it ,this is some stupid person talking nonsense.I could pick you apart,but why waste my time.Black people can’t live in cold,where did you get such a stupid idea from

          • Anonymous says:

            And to further debunk the relevance of the african hablogroups.

            Here is the Skull shape of all Mediterraneans, this includes Italians, Sicilians, Greeks, even some arabs such as the Lebanese who are caucasian.

            http://www.wendag.com/images/titans/medskull.JPG

            What a full face of the Mediterranean skull shape looks like with flesh

            http://imstars.aufeminin.com/stars/fan/andrea-corr/andrea-corr-20070425-245578.jpg

            Its what the Romans skull shape looked like and its what present mediterraneans skull shape looks like, smaller in form from the nordic one but completely the same.

            Skull shape of the nordics, Scandinavians etc etc

            http://www.wendag.com/images/titans/nordskull.JPG

            Its longer than that of mediterraneans, mediterraneans have always been smaller in form than the nordics.

            Negroid skull shape

            http://www.theapricity.com/snpa/bilder/gl-negrid-sk.jpg

            http://scienceblogs.com/afarensis/upload/2006/06/K%209.jpg

            Notice its wider and the the back of the skull is long, Nordics & Mediterranean back of the skull is small and short in form.

            The verdict? Both mediterranean skull shapes are the same, Meds have smaller sjull shapes but are still as thin in form to the Nordic skull which is why they have and always will be counted within one of the Caucasian subraces. When you see a mediterranean with a Negroid skull shape then and only then can you call them black, other than that don’t bring up some hidden hablogroup shit that EVERY european has, that shit counts for absolutely nothing at present it only tells where everyone on the planet came from originaly and nothing more.

          • Anonymous says:

            lmao this black wallstreet idiot knows nothing about evolution does he? i’m thinking that other person who called him religious was right. Its funny so many people called you out and yet you still act like you’re right and “know the world”.

            Let me enlighten you

            In hot climates, the light-skinned people get skin cancer and die without sufficient nutrition. Eventually, the majority of the population is dark-skinned.

            In cold climates, dark-skinned people get Vitamin D deficiancies and die without the right nutrition. Eventually, the majority of the population is light-colored.

            Pick up a book on evolution sometime and then maybe you won’t sound so stupid. This is why i’m putting my kids in private school i cant have this ignorance in my house, hellz naw.

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            To ANon

            Ok you stated your black and native.for the record,I do about Ploygenic.Now you say the Arabs come from Europe,(and then they once again went back to europe and evolved again)could you please show where you got this information from?Also if you read what I wrote,you will see I say repeatedly having black heritage does not make you a black person,which it seems you skip over.Another thing,please show me where I said This( you claim blacks can’t get dark)because I don’t remember typing it.Also for the record all skin is brown,not black or white.Now you wrong about (A real dark skin person could not survive in a Scandinavian/Cold country),that’s just silly

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            To Anon

            Now I assuming this other Anon person is you also.Now you put skulls up here,and say because it’s from the Mediterranean it’s automatically white,and that all black people skulls are what is called(Negroid).So what your saying is that black people don’t come in Caucasian Phenotypes or bone structure,that only white people do,is that correct? So let me get this straight,your saying unless you have a (Negroid) bone structure your not a black person,is that what your saying?Do you have any other evidence to back up what your saying?

        • Dio says:

          Moors were arab, Hannibal was also not “black”. Moors should not even be in this discussion Moors practicaly had no influence on modern Italian genetics. Hell the Greeks had more lasting influence on southern italian genetics than the moors did, Various DNA test were done all throughout Italy and they are more related to Greeks, Portguese, Spaniards and all other mediterranean and european people.

          The Moors had Blacks and other arabs in there army but they are not black, stop trying to afrocentritize history. Futhermore do you realize how long ago it was since the Moors showed up? and how much Italy has been invaded since they fell?

          You and Edward are idiots and then you get mad when people talk down to you for being an idiot. I find it funny how you get upset when people generalize black people as “being the same” but you’re such a hypocrite because you do the same shit to Sicilians.

          Here is a Sicilian, he’s pale as shit and has blue eyes.

          http://static.blogo.it/blogdolcevita/sexy-italian-man-raoul-bova/Raoul_Bova_01.jpg

          • black wallstreet aka fuzzybear says:

            First they were called moors long before arab was put into the mix,Also hannibal was half black.They even had a new documentary about him stating this.This has nothing to do with Afrocent this or that,this has to do with straight history.Everytime time a moorish person was talked about in history he/she was always black.The only time they change it was now,but if you need proof I will bring it.Now again,you have have it in your head that was the only time black people were in italy,they were all over europe.It was a two way street,the same way europeans were in africa,Africans were in europe,and have always been there.Now again,I didn’t say sicilians were white people,can you please show where I said that?I said they have African heritage that all,your the one who took it to another level.however I did say you can look completely white and yet still be half black.Also even thou it rare black africans can have blue eyes,I’ll show that to if you want

          • Dio says:

            No he was not, Hannibal was Phoenician do you have any idea who the Phoenicians were? Just like i suspected you are clearly an afroncentrist moron and there is no further reason to continue arguing with you since you have no idea of who was what.

            Phoenicians were not black, Phoenicians inhabited what is now modern day Lebanon, Syria, Lebanese people are NOT BLACK Lebanese people going by bone structure are most definately Caucasian.

            But nevermind that! if you wish to argue people use factual evidence don’t use some bullshit youtube video of an “AMERICAN” “Sicilian” who claims to be part black, honestly how did it make sense in your head to use him? Thats like me pulling out the singer Mya Harrison and calling Italians half black because Mya Harrison is biracial Mya’s mixture occured HERE IN AMERICA, not in Sicily, just like the dude in the video you posted, his mother or one of his parents were most likely black there is no link to him and Sicily.

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            To Dio

            I’m having problems posting,so I will give it to ETHNIC to see if he can do it for me

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            To dio

            just curious,are you a woman?

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            To Dio

            Sorry it took so long,was busy with the holidays.Ok you said I’m Afrocentric,but your using a word you don’t understand.See unlike Eurocentric like yourself,Afrocentrism will give credit to other ethnicity,unlike Eurocentrics.For example,James Beckwourth(African American):
            Oh and check his Phenotype,you’ll see it’s Caucasian.Anyhow Famous man,yet completely left out of school history books on purpose.He’s famous for being Chief of the Crow Nation,a frontiersman,and the Beckwourth Trail,which as you can see is named after him.it was used as a much safer route to lead People to California.He’s as famous as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone with a town and park and the trail named after him,but unlike them,he’s left out of history books.Another example,Jean-baptiste-Point Du Sable:
            This man founded Chicago,but didn’t get any credit for almost 200yrs.There many more.So contrary to what you believe,Afrocentrism lets you know,That white people didn’t do all this Sh*t by themselves.So if you want to call me that,All I said is thank you.
            Ok back to the Question Phoenicians,I know all about these guys,and you mention Persians,you know they were like the Egyptians with putting themselves on walls.Here the Persian immortals:
            http://www.virginiawestern.edu/faculty/vwhansd/his111/Images/Persian_Immortals.jpg
            You know these don’t look like white people to me,they are Caucasian but not white.Your basing your views on people who are there now.Populations change,but you can’t seem to see that.You keep using the word Caucasian,let go through the history of that word.You know it been change four time since 1937,and each time it has new people are added to it.North Africa didn’t get added until 1992,and in the latest version it no longer says white people,it now say (very light to brown people).This tells me that white people make up the rules as they go along(No OFFENSE to White People).
            NoN White Caucasians:
            Stacey Dash,Tami-Adrian George,Phi Morris
            So like I said,Caucasian doesn’t mean your white,it is simply a Phenotype any color can be it.
            Now Hannibal,why you brought him up I don’t know,however since you basically called me a liar.Here’s the documentary I was telling you about that aired on the history channel.It shows Hannibal father as a black man (4:17 in) :
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxVKD_YTs2A
            You don’t like it argue with them.
            Now back to moors,here one more video:
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYEuMTPtqxU&feature=related
            I used the video,because picture after picture,statue and statue shows the same thing,that the original moors were black:

            The moors that attack Spain were 7000 strong.300 arabs,and not going to debate what color they,but the 6700 soldiers were black Ethiopians,that’s a written fact.The (Song of Roland),about when they attack France says the were ask black as ink,and the only thing white about them was they teeth.They were called Moors back in 46 B.C long before the Arabs came to north Africa.On top of that the Arabs that came through were called Allah Black Ravens for a reason,They were black.Then on top of that,But here’s something I almost forgot,(The Moor Sundry Act of 1790):
            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors_Sundry_Act_of_1790
            Now reading this,if Moors were white like you say,why would this law be needed.It says they are to be recognized as white(MEANING THEY”RE NOT WHITE).Moors were not to be subjected to laws governing Blacks and slaves.Now why would they even be in the same sentence as free blacks(there were actually many free blacks here) and slaves,if they were white?Now what you don’t know is that Moors took over from the Arabs and ruled(The Almoravides and Almonads Dynasties)all black.Mansa Musa(king of Kings)was moor.Now were they whitish Moors,Yes:
            Alessandro de Medici:
            Velazquez,Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Juan de Pareja:

            .But that because Moors had well over a million white slaves,mostly women who they had children with.Then when half blood Moriscos were kicked out of Spain,most went to North Africa,and had a whole lot of babies.And over time,the population looks like it is now(MIXED)
            I’m getting tried

            Now Hannibal,why you brought him up I don’t know,however since you basically called me a liar.Here’s the documentary I was telling you about that aired on the history channel.It shows Hannibal father as a black man (4:17 in) :
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxVKD_YTs2A
            You don’t like it argue with them.
            Now back to moors,here one more video:
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYEuMTPtqxU&feature=related
            I used the video,because picture after picture,statue and statue shows the same thing,that the original moors were black:
            The moors that attack Spain were 7000 strong.300 arabs,and not going to debate what color they,but the 6700 soldiers were black Ethiopians,that’s a written fact.The (Song of Roland),about when they attack France says the were ask black as ink,and the only thing white about them was they teeth.They were called Moors back in 46 B.C long before the Arabs came to north Africa.On top of that the Arabs that came through were called Allah Black Ravens for a reason,They were black.Then on top of that,But here’s something I almost forgot,(The Moor Sundry Act of 1790):
            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors_Sundry_Act_of_1790
            Now reading this,if Moors were white like you say,why would this law be needed.It says they are to be recognized as white(MEANING THEY”RE NOT WHITE).Moors were not to be subjected to laws governing Blacks and slaves.Now why would they even be in the same sentence as free blacks(there were actually many free blacks here) and slaves,if they were white?Now what you don’t know is that Moors took over from the Arabs and ruled(The Almoravides and Almonads Dynasties)all black.Mansa Musa(king of Kings)was moor.Now were they whitish Moors,Yes:
            Alessandro de Medici:
            Velazquez,Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Juan de Pareja:
            .But that because Moors had well over a million white slaves,mostly women who they had children with.Then when half blood Moriscos were kicked out of Spain,most went to North Africa,and had a whole lot of babies.And over time,the population looks like it is now(MIXED)
            I’m getting tried.

          • black wallstreet aka Fuzzybear says:

            It double copied,sorry about that

          • Phoenician says:

            THANK YOU… I am a Lebanese American. And guess what? Al Pacino looks Lebanese. That’s not arab. It’s PHOENICIAN, who have almost the same DNA as greeks and sicilians. Did anyone know that Sicily was first inhabited by Phoenicians? Yeah, Phoenicians also inhabited what is now known as Greece with other peoples. We are all the same pretty much. Sicilians look the way they do ATLEAST PARTIALLY because of Phoenician influence. I challenge any sicilian who does not believe me to get a DNA test.

          • andrea says:

            he’s half calabrian born in Rome. Italian sex symbol

  3. Sven says:

    Sicilians are dark because of the effects of their climate not because they are part “North African”, is the world reverting back to early 20th Century race theories?

    Incidentally some will be part North African, Norman, Frankish, Greek and what not, but Europeans are quite mixed.

  4. SCSASF says:

    Sicilians are sicilians not Italians and will never be Italians.

  5. Johnny T says:

    His mother is from Corleone, Sicily

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