Vanna White
White in 2009, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Vanna Marie Rosich
Place of Birth: North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.
Date of Birth: February 18, 1957
Ethnicity:
*biological father – Puerto Rican [Spanish, possibly other]
*mother – publicly unknown
Vanna White is an American television personality and film actress. She is known for her work on the game show Wheel of Fortune.
Vanna is the daughter of Miguel Angel (García) Rosich and Joan Marie (Nichols) White. Miguel left the family when Vanna was still a child. Vanna was eventually adopted by her stepfather, Herbert Stackley White, Jr. She has two children with her former husband, restaurant owner George Santo Pietro.
Vanna’s biological father was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, with Spanish ancestry. Vanna’s mother is from the continental United States. Vanna is often described as also having Croatian, English, Italian, German, and Greek ancestry. It is not clear if this is accurate. It appears that Vanna’s mother was adopted.
Vanna is often described as the niece of actor Christopher George, who was of Greek descent. Vanna has clarified the matter, saying, “he wasn’t a blood brother [of my mother], but my mother grew up with his family. Years later in L.A., he and his wife took me under their wing.”
Vanna’s biological paternal grandfather was Carlos Miguel Benigne/Benigno Tomás Rosich y Pasarell (the son of José Rosich y Alomar and Eudoxia Pasarell y Torres). Carlos was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. José was born in Puerto Rico, to Spanish parents.
Vanna’s biological paternal grandmother was named Gloria Maria García.
One of Vanna’s ancestors may have had the surname Barnes and been one of the first mayors of Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Sources: Genealogy of Vanna White – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Vanna’s father – https://familysearch.org
Vanna’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Birth record of Vanna’s paternal grandfather, Carlos Miguel Benigne/Benigno Tomás Rosich y Pasarell – https://familysearch.org
Vanna’s paternal grandfather, Carlos Miguel Benigne/Benigno Tomás Rosich y Pasarell, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Carlos Miguel Benigne/Benigno Tomás Rosich y Pasarell on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Carlos Miguel Benigne/Benigno Tomás Rosich y Pasarell on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Vanna’s mother on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Change her ethnicity to:
*Puerto Rican [Spanish, possibly other] (biological father)
*uncear (mother)
I saw that I wrote some of the Spanish names a little wrong, and some birth places as well. So:
Vanna’s biological paternal grandparents were Carlos Miguel Benigne Tomás Rosich Y Pasarell (the son of José Rosich Y Alomar and Eudoxia Pasarell Y Torres) and Gloria Maria García. José was born in Puerto Rico, to Spanish parents.
According to a rumor, one of Vanna’s ancestors, with the surname “Barnes”, was one of the first mayors of Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Since the “Rosich” line has been traced back to Spain, I don’t know if Croatian should be mentioned. The name seems to be prevalent in Spain, so Croatian is likely just a rumour:
http://forebears.io/surnames/rosich
Sources:
Genealogy of Vanna White (focusing on her mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com/people/Vanna-White/6000000029717231690
Father:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFJB-Y57
Paternal grandfather:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VW2M-73K
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9WH-69L
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6ZD-RCB
Genealogy of paternal grandfather – https://www.ancestry.co.uk/genealogy/records/carlos-m-rosich_28444953
I agree that Croatian should be removed, since it’s uncertain, but you can’t look for non-english last names using english ortography.
See here:
http://forebears.io/surnames/rosi%C4%87
I searched for “Rosich” because that’s how the name is spelled. We don’t know if it was changed from “Rosić” or not, only that there are Spanish people named Rosich.
I am not talking abot Vanna’s case in particular, but you claimed that a certain last name was non-existant somewhere because it’s spelled differently. I’m just saying that it could lead you to a wrong conclusion.
Rosich surname sounds Catalan
Vanna’s mother appears to have been adopted, so she could simply have “unknown” as her mother’s ethnicity. She was adopted by Luther Romain Nicholas and Albertene “Teenie” Kimble.
Vanna’s mother, Joan Nicholas, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4DJ-8XR
How do you know that’s her mother on the census?
Her maternal grandparents are now in her genealogy.
https://www.geni.com/people/Luther-Nicholas/6000000040148466072?from_flash=1&fsession_id=1459638598954&through=6000000029717231690
https://www.geni.com/people/Albertene-Nicholas/6000000040148738835
Add “biological” before father, since she was raised by her stepfather.
Vanna White is PR, didn’t see that one