Antony Blinken

KYIV, UKRAINE – Mar. 06, 2015: Blinken meeting with President of Ukraine Poroshenko, palinchak/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Antony John Blinken

Place of Birth: Yonkers, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: April 16, 1962

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Antony Blinken is an American government official and diplomat. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as U.S. Secretary of State, since January 26, 2021. He has also been National Security Advisor to the Vice President, from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2013, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor, from January 20, 2013 to January 9, 2015, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, from January 9, 2015 to January 20, 2017.

Antony is the son of Judith and Donald M. Blinken (Donald Mayer Blinken), a diplomat and businessperson, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, from April 1, 1994 to November 20, 1997. His uncle, Alan Blinken, is a diplomat and politician, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, from July 25, 1993 to December 27, 1997. His great-grandfather was author Meir Blinken, who published about 50 fiction and non-fiction works in Yiddish.

Antony’s stepfather was lawyer and author Samuel Pisar, who was born in Poland and survived the Holocaust.

Antony is married to Evan Ryan, who has been White House Cabinet Secretary, since January 20, 2021. The couple has two children.

Antony’s paternal grandfather was Maurice Henry Blinken (the son of Meir/Meyer Blinken and Anna Turefsky). Maurice was born in Kiev, now Ukraine, and immigrated to the U.S. He helped establish the American Palestine Institute, and was an early supporter of Israel. Meir was born in Pereiaslav, Kyiv, Ukraine, then in the Russian Empire, the son of Jacob Blinken and Rose Finkelstein.

Antony’s paternal grandmother was Ethel Horowitz (the daughter of Morris Horowitz and Kate Rosthal). Ethel was born in New York, to a Russian Jewish father and an Austrian Jewish mother. Kate was the daughter of Bernard Rosthal and Anna.

Antony’s maternal grandfather was Solomon J. Freedman/Frehm (the son of Morris Freedman/Frehm and Ethel Ramer). Solomon was born in New York, to Hungarian Jewish parents. Morris was the son of Salomon Friedman and Esther Samunowitz. Ethel was the daughter of Markus Ramer and Katie Groeber.

Antony’s maternal grandmother was Beatrice Gottsegen (the daughter of David Gottsegen and Lena/Lee Kaufman). Beatrice was born in New York, to Hungarian Jewish parents. David was the son of Samuel Gottsegen and Jennie Berger. Lena was the daughter of Isaac Kauffman and Esther Weitz.

Sources: Genealogy of Antony Blinken – https://www.geni.com

Antony’s paternal grandmother, Ethel Horowitz, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Antony’s maternal grandfather, Solomon J. Freedman/Frehm, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org