Gaten Matarazzo

Matarazzo in 2016, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Gaetano John Matarazzo III

Place of Birth: New London, Connecticut, U.S.

Date of Birth: September 8, 2002

Ethnicity:
*father – Italian, Hungarian
*mother – English, Finnish, Scottish, German, Irish, possibly other

Gaten Matarazzo is an American actor. He stars on the show Stranger Things, and has also appeared in the films Honor Society and Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain, and, in voice-over, The Angry Birds Movie 2 and My Father’s Dragon; he has also hosted the show Prank Encounters, and appeared on stage. He was raised in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.

Gaten was born with cleidocranial dysostosis (CCD), also called cleidocranial dysplasia. CCD is a congenital disorder, mostly affecting the development of bones and teeth. Gaten has raised awareness of CCD and fundraised for CCD Smiles, an organization that assists with the cost of oral surgeries for people with CCD.

Gaten’s paternal grandfather is Gaten John Matarazzo (the son of Modestino August Matarazzo and Rose Ventura). Rose was born in New Jersey, to Italian parents, Gaetano “Gil” Ventura and Fioralba Santoro.

Gaten’s paternal grandmother is Susan Kelemen (the daughter of Stephen Andrew Kelemen and Irene Kocsis). Susan is of Hungarian descent. Stephen was the son of John Kelemen and Rose Szeman. Irene was the daughter of Joseph Kocsis and Susie.

Gaten’s maternal grandfather was David A. Hendrickson (the son of John Henry Hendrickson and Claire Baker). David was born in Florida. John was the son of John H. Hendrickson, who was born in Connecticut, to Finnish parents, who may have been of Finland-Swedish background; and of Elise/Elsie M. Gregory. Claire was the daughter of John Clair Baker and Anna Mabel Snyder.

Gaten’s maternal grandmother was named Sandra Martin.

Sources: Obituary of Gaten’s maternal grandfather, David A. Hendrickson – http://www.gibbonsfhashvillecoalport.com

Gaten’s maternal great-grandfather, John Henry Hendrickson, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org