Rachel Nichols

Nichols in 2011, image via kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Rachel Emily Nichols

Place of Birth: Augusta, Maine, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 8, 1980

Ethnicity: English, French-Canadian (one quarter), Italian (3/16ths), German, Northern Irish, Scottish

Rachel Nichols is an American actress and model. Her roles include the films Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, The Amityville Horror (2005), Shopgirl, The Woods (2006), Resurrecting the Champ, P2, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Star Trek (2009), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, For Sale by Owner, Conan the Barbarian (2011), A Bird of the Air, Alex Cross, Raze, McCanick, Rage (2014), Pandemic, Inside (2016), and Breach (2020), and the shows Sex and the City, Alias, Criminal Minds, Continuum, Chicago Fire, The Librarians, Titans, The Man in the High Castle, and A Million Little Things.

Rachel is married to real estate developer Michael Kershaw. She has also been credited as Rachel Kershaw.

Rachel’s paternal grandfather was Byron Barrett Nichols (the son of General Haverlock Nichols and Lila May Paddock). Byron was born in Maine, to parents from New Brunswick, Canada. Lila was the daughter of Thomas James Paddock and Harriett Mathilda “Hattie” Applebee.

Rachel’s paternal grandmother was Isabelle Emilie D’Auteuil (the daughter of Raoul D. Auteuil/D’Auteuil and Zoraide Pelletier). Isabelle was born in Maine, of French-Canadian ancestry. Raoul was the son of Paul D’Auteuil and Praelle Morneau. Zoraide was the daughter of Joseph Pelletier and Emilie/Emelie Ouellette.

Rachel’s maternal grandfather was Ronald Rossi Bielli (the son of Mario Angelo Bielli and Sophia Elizabeth Rossi). Ronald was born in Vermont. Mario was Italian, born in Caiello, now Gallarate, Province of Varese, Lombardy, the son of Serafino Bielli and Matilda Galli. Sophia was born in Vermont, to an Italian father, Severino Rossi, and to a mother of German descent, Marie Louise Kaufmann.

Rachel’s maternal grandmother was Rachel Dell Templeton (the daughter of Neal Ephraim Templeton and Alice Mildred McKinstry). Rachel’s grandmother Rachel was born in Vermont, and had English, Northern Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Neal was the son of Ulysses Grant Templeton and Sadie Maud Pray. Alice was the daughter of Morton McKinstry and Candace Adelle Johnson.

Sources: Rachel’s paternal great-grandparents, General Haverlock Nichols and Lila May Paddock, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Information about the Bielli family – https://www.italiangenealogy.com

Marriage record of Rachel’s paternal great-grandparents, Mario Angelo Bielli and Sophia Elizabeth Rossi – https://www.familysearch.org