Andrew Napier
01/30/2015 – Andrew Napier – 30th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Montecito Award Honoring Jennifer Aniston – Arrivals – The Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara, CA, USA – Photo Credit: Jonathan Shensa / PR Photos
Birth Name: Andrew Thomas Napier
Place of Birth: Mauston, Wisconsin, U.S.
Date of Birth: October 15, 1988
Ethnicity: Italian (maternal grandfather), German, Irish, English
Andrew Napier is an American film producer, writer, and filmmaker. He directed and wrote the documentary Mad as Hell.
Andrew’s paternal grandfather was Thomas Edward Napier (the son of Edward Paul Napier and Marian/Marion Ivy Bieterman/Biederman). Thomas was born in Illinois. Edward was born in New York, the son of Thomas Napier, who was Irish, and of Annie/Anne, whose parents were Irish. Marian was born in Wisconsin, the daughter of Francis Joseph Biederman, whose parents were German, and of Eva Luvella Pooler.
Andrew’s paternal grandmother was Ella Billenstein/Billings (the daughter of John Billenstein and Babette “Bertha” Kohlbauer/Kohlbaur). Ella was born in Schwabach, Germany, and moved to the U.S. with her family at the age of seven. Andrew’s great-grandfather John was the son of John F. Billenstein and Cunig Zurner.
Andrew’s maternal grandfather was Joseph “Joe” Cioni (the son of Angelo Cioni/Ceoni and Regina/Reginia Lolli). Joseph was born in Illinois, to Italian parents. He had at least partial roots in Lizzano, Apulia. Angelo was the son of Bartolomeo Cioni.
Andrew’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Jane “Betty” Bellm (the daughter of John Carl/Karl “Johnnie” Bellm and Helen/Ellen M. Beasley). Elizabeth was born in Illinois. John was born in Illinois, the son of Robert Bellm, whose parents were German, and of Anna/Anne Link. Helen was born in Illinois.
Sources: Obituary of Andrew’s paternal grandfather, Thomas Edward Napier – http://www.legacy.com
Obituary of Andrew’s paternal grandmother, Ella (Billenstein/Billings) Napier – http://www.wiscnews.com
Obituary of Andrew’s maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Jane “Betty” (Bellm) Cioni-Willen – http://davis-andersonfuneralhome.com
I have been looking at ellis island records and I believe that Andrew Napier’s maternal grandfathers parents were from Lizzano, Apulia, Italy. On Ellis Island official website there is a record of Angelo Cioni along with Regina Cioni who both were on a ship named Majestic, that arrived on October 3rd, 1912. At this time Cioni was 30 years old and Angelo was 33 and they were both married. I am pretty confident these were the right people.
However Angelo Cioni was unlikely from Apulia. It’s a typical Tuscan surname. Check out Benigni’s character: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlinguer,_I_Love_You
Lolli surname do exist in Southern Apulia, though.