Steve Carell

Carell in 2007; Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Steven John Carell

Place of Birth: Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 16, 1962

Ethnicity:
*father – Italian, German
*mother – Polish

Steve Carell is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer. His roles include The Office, Anchorman, and its sequel, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Little Miss Sunshine, Over the Hedge, Evan Almighty, Horton Hears a Who!, Date Night, Dinner for Schmucks, Crazy, Stupid, Love; The Way, Way Back; Foxcatcher, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; Beautiful Boy, and Vice, among many others.

Steve was born in Concord, and raised nearby in Acton, Massachusetts. He is the son of Harriet Theresa (Koch), a psychiatric nurse, and Edwin A. Carell, an electrical engineer. His uncle Stanley Koch worked with scientist Allen B. DuMont to invent cathode ray tubes. His father’s original surname, Caroselli, was shortened to Carell. On his father’s side, Steve is of Italian and German ancestry. On his mother’s side, Steve is of Polish descent. He was raised Catholic. Steve is married to actress, comedian, and writer Nancy Carell, with whom he has two children.

While Steve has played several Jewish characters (including in three consecutive major films, a rarity for a major star of any background), he is not of Jewish heritage.

Steve’s paternal grandfather was Ernest Caroselli (the son of Amanzio Caroselli and Marianna/Marsanina/Marcasciano Ricco). Ernest was an Italian emigrant, born in Bari, Apulia, Italy.

Steve’s paternal grandmother was Marie G. Egle (the daughter of August W. Egle and Mary A. Boullay). Steve’s grandmother Marie was born in New York. August was a German immigrant. Steve’s great-grandmother Mary Boullay was born in New York, the daughter of German immigrant parents, Nicholas Boullay and Jo Hanna.

Steve’s maternal grandfather was Zygmont/Zigmund/Zygmond/Sigmund Koch (the son of Joseph Koch and Mary/Crestene/Custene Porcheskey/Pascoff). Zygmont is listed as born in Russia in one record and in Vilnius, Lithuania in another record, and was possibly of ethnic Polish descent. The name Pascoff may have been misspelled on records.

Steve’s maternal grandmother was Frances Victoria Tolosky (the daughter of Tuffield/Tebfis/Tropin Theophilo/Theophile Tolosky and Mary/Martiana Brunnwyko/Burranaski/Burnak/Burnika). Frances was born in New York, to Polish parents.

Sources: Genealogies of Steve Carell – https://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com

Marriage record of Steve’s paternal grandparents, Ernest Caroselli and Marie G. Egle – https://familysearch.org

Steve’s paternal grandfather, Ernest Caroselli, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Steve’s paternal grandmother, Marie G. Egle, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Steve’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage records of Steve’s maternal grandparents, Zygmont/Zigmund/Zygmond/Sigmund Koch and Frances Victoria Tolosky – https://familysearch.org
https://www.wikitree.com

Steve’s maternal grandparents, Zygmont/Zigmund/Zygmond/Sigmund Koch and Frances Victoria Tolosky, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Death record of Steve’s maternal grandfather, Zygmont/Zigmund/Zygmond/Sigmund Koch – https://www.wikitree.com

Steve’s maternal grandmother, Frances Victoria Tolosky, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Steve’s maternal grandmother, Frances Victoria (Tolosky) Koch – http://209.212.22.88

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

68 Responses

  1. ethnic says:

    thanks Life, Yeh I agree that Carrel’s mother was most probably not Jewish. But I can see how people can mistake Steve as Jewish.

  2. life says:

    there are plenty of polish catholics, just because someone is from there that doesn’t mean that they are jewish. most polish people are catholic anyway. according to the cia world factbook poland is “Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)”

    so i would bet that she is catholic

  3. ethnic says:

    Its not clear whether Carells’ mother was Jewish but she was definitely from Poland.

  4. Chick says:

    Why don’t people realize being Jewish is a religion not the Ethnicity.

  5. Guy says:

    His mother’s maiden name is Koch, and that side of the family comes from Poland. So I’m guessing Jewish, but can’t confirm.

    Source: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/celeb/stevecarell.htm

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