Alex Meneses
Alex Meneses – 2016 AltaMed Health Services’ Power Up, We Are the Future Gala Photo Credit: PRPhotos.com
Birth Name: Alexandra Estella DeAnna Meneses
Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Date of Birth: February 12, 1965
Ethnicity:
*father – Mexican
*mother – Ukrainian, possibly some Polish
Alex Meneses is an American actress and model.
Alex is the daughter of Miroslawa and Luis Meneses. Her father was from Mexico City, Mexico. Her mother was born in Illinois, U.S., to Eastern European parents, of Ukrainian, and possibly some Polish, descent.
Alex has stated:
I love to cook. I’m half Mexican, half Ukrainian, and I grew up on really heavy food. I like to make the food I grew up on, but healthy, without all the lard.
Alex’s maternal grandfather was Michael “Mike” Tarandy (the son of Nicholas Tarandy and Anastacia Kowalski). Michael was born in either Austria or Poland, and was of Ukrainian descent.
Alex’s maternal grandmother was named Stella Kohutinska/Kohutynski/Kawecki. Stella was born in either Austria or Poland, with Ukrainian ancestry. She may have also been of part Polish descent.
Sources: http://www.hngn.com
http://people.com
Obituary of Alex’s father – http://www.legacy.com
Obituary of Alex’s uncle (mother’s brother) – http://articles.chicagotribune.com
Alex’s maternal grandparents, Michael “Mike” Tarandy and Stella Kohutinska/Kohutynski/Kawecki, on the 1930 U.S. Census – http://www.familysearch.org
Naturalization record of Alex’s maternal grandfather, Michael “Mike” Tarandy – https://familysearch.org
Death record of Alex’s maternal grandfather, Michael “Mike” Tarandy – https://familysearch.org
Miraslava —> Miroslawa
Michael Tarandy and Stella Kawecki —> Michael “Mike” Tarandy (the son of Nicholas Tarandy and Anastacia Kowalski) and Stella Kohutinska/Kohutynski.
Michael’s and Stella’s birth places vary between Poland and Ukraine on these documents:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2S8-8B18
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XKPQ-PHY
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MF-ZQBF
The 1930 census says that Michael was born in Poland to Ukrainian parents, and that Stella was born in Poland to a Ukrainian father and a Polish mother… confusing.
It also says that they both spoke Polish. Despite this, Alex’s uncle had his funderal in a Ukrainian Church. But considering their surnames (and the varying birth places), I think it’s likely that Alex’s mother is also part Polish, not only Ukrainian.