Chiara Aurelia
Birth Name: Chiara Aurelia de Braconier d’Alphen
Place of Birth: New Mexico, U.S.
Date of Birth: September 13, 2002
Ethnicity:
*father – Belgian [Flemish, Walloon]
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish
Chiara Aurelia is an American actress, singer, dancer, and model. She is known for her roles on the show Cruel Summer and the film Fear Street Part Two: 1978.
Chiara’s father was born in Leuven, Belgium, and was of Flemish and Walloon origin, from a prominent family, including the Barons Empain. Through her father, Chiara is a direct descendant, several times over, of Flemish artist and diplomat Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Peter Paul was born in Siegen, Nassau-Dillenburg, Holy Roman Empire.
Chiara’s mother, who is American, is the daughter of Ashkenazi Jewish parents. Through her, Chiara is the granddaughter of singer and actor Tony Travis, and great-granddaughter of philanthropist S. Mark Taper.
Chiara’s paternal grandfather was Ivan de Braconier d’Alphen (the son of Philippe de Braconier and Marguerite Fontaine de Ghélin). Philippe was the son of Maurice Léon Léopold Joseph de Braconier and Marguerite Henriette Marie Drion. Chiara’s great-grandmother Marguerite was the daughter of Fernand Fontaine de Ghélin and Adèle du Vivier.
Chiara’s paternal grandmother was Marie-Christine “Mimy” Empain (the daughter of Baron François-Louis Empain and Ghislaine Descantons de Montblanc). Chiara’s grandmother Marie-Christine was of Flemish and Walloon descent. François-Louis was born in Chièvres, Hainaut, Wallonia, the son of François-Julien Empain and Catherine Lolivier. His brother, Chiara’s great-great-uncle Édouard Empain, was a prominent engineer, entrepreneur, financier, industrialist, and amateur Egyptologist. Chiara’s second cousin, once removed, was industrialist Édouard-Jean Empain. Chiara’s great-grandmother Ghislaine was born in Meerbeek, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, the daughter of Comte Ernest Charles Louis Ghislain Descantons de Montblanc, Baron d’Ingelmünster, who was born at Château d’Ingelmünster, and of Marguerite Marie Léonie Charlotte Ghislaine de Beughem de Houtem, who was born in Brussels.
Chiara’s maternal grandfather was actor and singer Tony Travis (born Travis Richard Kleefeld; the son of Sidney Kleefeld and Sylvia Goldstein). Tony was born in New York. A picture of Tony can be seen here. Sidney was the son of German Jewish parents, Leopold Kleefeld and Lena Schiff. Sylvia was the daughter of Isaac Goldstein, whose parents were Russian Jews, and of Mollie Finkelstein, who was a Russian Jew.
Chiara’s maternal grandmother is Carolyn Mary Taper (the daughter of S. Mark Taper, Sydney Mark Taper, and of Amelia Lewis). Chiara’s grandmother Carolyn was born in Lewisham, London, England. Chiara’s great-grandfather S. Mark was a prominent financier, real estate developer, and philanthropist, for whom the Mark Taper Forum, stage is named. He was a Polish Jewish immigrant, first to England, and later to Los Angeles. Chiara’s great-grandmother Amelia was also the daughter of Jewish parents, Lewis A. Lewis and Florence Hobinstock. She had roots in Poznan, Poznań County, Wielkopolskie, Poland.
Sources: Genealogy of Chiara Aurelia (focusing on her father’s side) – https://gw.geneanet.org
Obituary of Chiara’s father – http://www.mykeeper.com
Marriage announcement of Chiara’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Maurice Léon Léopold Joseph de Braconier and Marguerite Henriette Marie Drion – https://lib.ugent.be
Genealogy of Chiara’s paternal grandmother, Marie-Christine “Mimy” Empain – https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Chiara’s maternal grandfather, Tony Travis – https://www.findagrave.com
Obituary of Chiara’s maternal great-grandfather, S. Mark Taper – https://www.nytimes.com
Death record of Chiara’s maternal great-grandmother, Amelia (Lewis) Taper – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Chiara’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Florence Hobinstock – https://www.geni.com
why does she use an Italian stage name?
How do you know it’s only a stage name? I didn’t find a confirmed birth name for her.
she may be Italian on her father’s side, assuming Tony Travis is the maternal grandpa.
Maybe. Although I kind of agree that her name sounds more like a stage name than a birth name, like she chose her first and middle name as a stage name. But who knows. I might try to find her full name sometime soon.