Paul Schrader

Schrader in 2016, photo by vonora/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Paul Joseph Schrader

Place of Birth: Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: July 22, 1946

Ethnicity:
*father – German, English
*mother – Dutch Frisian

Paul Schrader is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. He has written/directed Affliction and First Reformed, and written Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, among many other films he has been involved in in those capacities.

Paul was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the son of Joan/Joanne (Fisher) and Charles Allan Schrader. His brother was screenwriter and director Leonard Schrader. The family were Dutch Calvinists. His father had converted to his mother’s religion. Paul has described himself as “a Dutch Protestant country boy.”

Paul is married to actress Mary Beth Hurt, with whom he has two children.

Paul’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Allan Schrader (the son of Levi Paul Schrader and Matilda Pfeiffer). Joseph was born in Michigan. Levi was born in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, the son of Johann Fredrick Schroder and Johanna/Hannah Louise Krempen, who were from Mecklenburg, Germany. Matilda was the daughter of German parents, Xavier Pfieffer, who was from Ebnat, Wurtenburg, and Maria Crecentia Miller.

Paul’s paternal grandmother was Amy May Henrie (the daughter of Amy May Henrie and Elizabeth Bunnell). Paul’s grandmother Amy was born in Indiana.

Paul’s maternal grandfather was Leonard W. Fisher (the son of Wessel Broers Visser/Fisher and Janna Van Dijk/Dyke). Leonard was born in Michigan, to Dutch parents. Wessel was the son of Broer Jans Visser and Jantje Leenderts Stoutmeijer. Janna was the daughter of Johannes Van Dijk and Johanna Zwerus.

Paul’s maternal grandmother was Engberdina “Dena”/Dana/Dina Huizenga (the daughter of Cornelius/Cornelis/Kornelis Jans Huizenga/Henizenga/Hanizenga and Johanna Jans Hartman). Engberdina was Dutch. Cornelius was the son of Jan Kornelis Huizenga and Annegien Jans Bus. Johanna was born in Loppersum, the daughter of Jan/John Hendrik Frederik Hartman and Martje Jans Dekker.

Sources: http://www.avclub.com
http://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org

Paul’s maternal grandparents, Leonard W. Fisher and Engberdina “Dena”/Dana/Dina Huizenga, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org