Andrew VanWyngarden

Birth Name: Andrew Wells VanWyngarden

Place of Birth: Columbia, Missouri, U.S.

Date of Birth: February 1, 1983

Ethnicity: English, little over one eighth Dutch, small amounts of German, Swiss-German, Scottish, Irish, and French

Andrew VanWyngarden is an American musician. He is the vocalist, guitar player, and songwriter of pop and rock band MGMT, whose members also include Benjamin Goldwasser. He is also known as Gentle Dom.

Andrew is the son of Frances and Bruce VanWyngarden, a journalist and editor of the alternative newspaper Memphis Flyer. He was raised partly in Memphis, Tennessee.

In an interview, Andrew stated that he does not know much about his heritage, but that he thought his great-grandfather was Dutch. Andrew’s paternal great-grandfather, Rudolph W. Van Wyngarden, was of Dutch descent.

Andrew’s paternal grandfather was William Wells VanWyngarden (the son of Rudolph W. Van Wyngarden and Velma L. Wells). Andrew’s grandfather William was born in Missouri, or in Mexico, to American parents. Rudolph was born in Newton, Iowa, to Dutch parents, William Marion Van Wingerden and Jacoba Leukeeka J. Van Leeuwen. Velma was the daughter of William R. Wells and Laura R. Stephens.

Andrew’s paternal grandmother was Montelle Moore (the daughter of Dennis Talmage Moore and Vona Maude Vance). Montelle was born in Missouri. Dennis was the son of William Coleman Moore and Fannie Belle Mallory. Vona was the daughter of Willis Franklin Vance and Maude E. Wright.

Sources: http://memphismagazine.com

Genealogy and obituary of Andrew’s paternal grandparents, William Wells VanWyngarden – http://www.findagrave.com

Andrew’s paternal grandfather, William Wells VanWyngarden, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Andrew’s paternal grandfather, William Wells VanWyngarden – https://www.meaningfulfunerals.net

Andrew’s great-grandfather, Rudolph W. Van Wyngarden, on the 1915 Iowa Census – https://familysearch.org

Andrew’s paternal grandmother, Montelle Moore, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Montelle Moore on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogies of Andrew’s paternal great-grandparents, Dennis Talmage Moore and Vona Maude (Vance) Moore – http://www.findagrave.com