Michelle Banzer
photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Michelle Stephanie Banzer
Place of Birth: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Date of Birth: December 2, 1982
Ethnicity:
*father – Austrian, German, Irish, Scottish, English, Cherokee Native American
*mother – Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian, Russian
Michelle Banzer is an American model and beauty queen. She was Miss Kentucky USA 2007. She competed in the Miss USA pageant in 2007, and was the first non-white person to represent Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. She is also known as Michelle Zen.
Michelle has said:
Nationality: American… Ethnicity: My mom is a mixture of Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian and Russian, while my father is German, Cherokee Indian and Irish. I grew up speaking, reading and writing Vietnamese.
Michelle’s paternal grandfather was Charles Harris Banzer (the son of Joseph M. Banzer and Ella/Ellen M. Harris). Charles was born in Texas. Joseph was born in Triesen, Liechtenstein, the son of Constantine Banzer and Susana Bargetzy.
Michelle’s paternal grandmother was named Wealthea/Waltha/Wealtha Roberta Sutherland (the daughter of Willard R. Sutherland/Southerland and Mayme/Mamie A.). Waltha was born in Missouri.
Sources: Genealogies of Michelle’s paternal grandparents, Charles Harris Banzer and Wealthea/Waltha/Wealtha Roberta Sutherland – https://www.findagrave.com
Michelle’s paternal grandfather, Charles Harris Banzer, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Charles Harris Banzer on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Michelle’s paternal great-grandparents, Joseph M. Banzer and Ella/Ellen M. Harris, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Michelle’s paternal great-grandfather, Joseph M. Banzer – https://www.familysearch.org
Michelle’s paternal grandmother, Wealthea/Waltha Roberta Sutherland, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Michelle’s paternal great-grandparents, Willard R. Sutherland/Southerland and Mayme/Mamie A., on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
She is the daughter of Anh Kim (Luong) and James Jonathan Banzer.
Paternal grandfather was Charles Harris Banzer (the son of Joseph M. Banzer and Ella/Ellen M. Harris). Joseph was born in Triesen, Liechtenstein, the son of Constantine and Susana Bargetzy.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M293-ZLH
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHY9-YRC
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HYVJ-8ZM
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55741212/charles-harris-banzer
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3M2-PHL
Paternal grandmother was Waltha/Wealtha Roberta Sutherland (the daughter of Willard R. Sutherland/Southerland and Mayme/Mamie A.).
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2YR-DWY
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X77C-6WV
In my opinion, Liechtenstein shouldn’t be it’s own ethnicity. It’s just a micronation that managed to survive the unification of German microstates in the 1800’s and doesn’t exist on an ethnic ground, it could just as easily have been a part of Austria today. Pauly D’s ancestor from San Marino is still just considered Italian, and I would simply put Michelle’s ancestor as Austrian (as he is listed on most censuses). But “Liechtensteiner” could still be a tag though, it’s fun that we now have a Liechtensteiner-American celebrity!
Also, should we believe everything she says about her mother’s family?
what a babe