Chris Isaak

Isaak in 2009, photo by PrPhotos

Birth Name: Christopher Joseph Isaak

Place of Birth: San Joaquin, California, United States

Date of Birth: June 26, 1956

Ethnicity:
*Bessarabia German (father)
*Italian (mother)

Chris Isaak is an American rock musician and actor. He is known for his song “Wicked Game.”

His father, Joe Isaak, was of Bessarabia German ancestry, ethnic Germans living in Bessarabia. His mother is of Italian descent, with her family being from Liguria.

Chris’s paternal grandfather was John Thomas Isaak (the son of Gottfried C. Isaak and Caroline J. Leischner). John was born in North Dakota, to ethnic German parents, born in Bessarabia, then in the Russian Empire (now Pidhirne, Odessa). Gottfried was the son of Christian Isaak and Karoline Kuehn. Chris’s great-grandmother Caroline was the daughter of Johann Leischner and Louise/Louisa Grosz.

Chris’s paternal grandmother was Helen Ann Schneider (the daughter of Henry Alex Peter Schneider and Kathernia Weideman). Helen was born in Canada, to ethnic German parents from Russia. Katherina was the daughter of Conrad Weideman and Maria Catharina Olenberger.

Chris’s maternal grandfather was Ralph Bill Vignolo (the son of Giovanni “John” Vignolo and Teresa Perazzo/Perasso). Ralph was born in California, to Italian parents. Giovanni was the son of Andrea Vignolo and Maria Sturla.

Chris’s maternal grandmother was Inez Marie Bertolli (the daughter of Augustine Bertolli and Amelia Delamora). Inez was born in California, to Italian parents.

Sources: http://www.webcitation.org

Obituary of Chris’s father – http://www.findagrave.com

Genealogies of Chris’s paternal great-grandparents, Gottfried C. Isaak and Caroline J. Leischner – http://www.findagrave.com

Genealogy of Chris Isaak (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://www.genealogy.com

History of Chris’s mother’s Vignolo family – http://www.genealogy.com

Chris’s maternal grandfather, Ralph Bill Vignolo, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Chris’s maternal grandmother, Inez Marie Bertolli, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org