Erika Eleniak
Eleniak in 2011, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Erika Maya Eleniak
Place of Birth: Glendale, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: September 29, 1969
Ethnicity:
*father – Rusyn/Ukrainian
*mother – Russian, as well as Estonian, German
Erika Eleniak is an American model and actress. Her roles include Shauni on the series Baywatch, and the films E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Blob (1988), Under Siege, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Tales from the Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood. She was Playboy Playmate for July 1989.
She is the daughter of Iris and Dale Eleniak. Her father was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, of Rusyn/Ukrainian descent. Her mother was born in Flensburg, Germany, of Russian, as well as Estonian and German, ancestry. Erika is married to key grip Roch Daigle, with whom she has a daughter.
She is a relative of actor and comedian Eddie Carroll (born Edward Eleniak).
Erika is descended from Wasyl Eleniak and Anna/Annie Roshko/Roszko. Wasyl and Anna were born in Nebyliv, Ukraine, and were Rusyn. Wasyl was said to have been one of the first Ukrainian pioneers in Canada.
Erika’s maternal grandfather was Viktor/Victor Woldemar Pessegov, later Neggo (the son of Mihhail Pessegov and Bertha Clara Louise/Luise Neggo). Viktor was born in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. His brother was Estonian film producer Arkadi Pessegov, who was married to actress Lulo Purre-Pessegov. Mihhail was born in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and was the son of Jakov Pessegov. Bertha was Estonian, born in Valjala, Saaremaa, and was the daughter of Karl-Aleksander Nõgu/Neggo, a farmer, and of Caroline/Karoline Elisabeth Perker. Her brother, Erika’s great-great-uncle, was educator, politician, and diplomat Victor Neggo. Victor was executed by the Soviet authorities in 1942.
Erika’s maternal grandmother was Irina/Irene Büttner/Bütner (the daughter of Georg Büttner and Anna Zorubina). Irene was born in Reval/Tallinn, Estonia, to an Estonian father and a Russian mother.
Sources: Erika’s paternal ancestors, Wasyl Eleniak and Anna Roshko/Roszko, on the 1911 Canada Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Erika’s paternal ancestors, Wasyl Eleniak and Anna Roshko/Roszko, on the 1916 Canada Prairie Provinces Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death records of Erika’s paternal ancestors, Wasyl Eleniak and Anna (Roshko/Roszko) Eleniak – https://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Erika’s mother (focusing on her own father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Erika’s mother – https://www.legacy.com
U.S. Naturalization record of Erika’s maternal grandfather, Viktor/Victor Woldemar Pessegov/Neggo – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Erika’s maternal grandfather, Viktor/Victor Woldemar Pessegov/Neggo – https://www.familysearch.org
U.S. Naturalization record of Erika’s maternal great-grandmother, Bertha Clara Louise/Luise (Neggo) Pessegov – https://www.familysearch.org
Erika’s paternal grandfather was the son of Wasyl Eleniak and Anna Roshko/Roszko. Wasyl and Anna were born in Nebyliv, Ukraine, and were Rusyn.
https://sv.findagrave.com/memorial/61730053/wasyl-eleniak
1911 census, religion listed as “G Catholic” (Greek Catholic):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9P-5KJT
1916 census, race listed as “Ruthenian”:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KM5B-D8B
She isn’t the niece of Eddie Carroll though, if the family tree on findagrave is correct. But Erika’s great-grandfather Wasyl Eleniak and Eddie’s grandfather John Eleniak were brothers.
https://sv.findagrave.com/memorial/50754904/eddie-carroll
Her maternal grandmother was named Irina
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/venturacountystar/name/iris-arnold-obituary?id=9697029
I found only 1 Irina Neggo (formely Irina Pessegov) 1911-2007, but i dk is it her or not? maybe somebody can help?
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/18444660:70050
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939N-FHSX-8W?i=1263&cc=1849628&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AKXQH-QDZ
I’ve found some potentially interesting stuff.
This man has some kind of relation to Irina:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXQH-QDF
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPVH-9K8
At first, I assumed they must’ve been siblings. But then I saw that Viktor’s geni.com page lists his spouse as a woman named Irene Bütner, which made me think that she might be the same woman as Irina.
https://www.geni.com/people/Viktor-Pessegov/6000000010685071743
Viktor/Victor Woldemar Pessegov (later Neggo) was born in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. He was the son of Mihhail Pessegov and Bertha Clara Louise Neggo. Mihhail was also born in Krasnoyarsk, and was the son of Jakov Pessegov. Bertha was born in Valjala, Saaremaa, Estonia, and was the daughter of Karl-Aleksander Nõgu/Neggo and Caroline Elisabeth Perker.
Viktor was the brother of Estonian film producer Arkadi Pessegov.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1841198/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Arkadi was married to Estonian actress Lulo Purre-Pessegov.
https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lulo_Purre
Bertha was the brother of Estonian educator, politician, and diplomat Victor Neggo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Neggo
Irene Bütner was born in Tallinn, according to geni.com.
Now all that remains is to verify who Irina was in relation to Viktor, as well as if this Irina was even Erika’s grandmother.
Thank you!
I think you’re right and it looks like Irina and Irene same person and wife of Viktor.
Seems like Viktor immigrate not only with Irina and his mother Bertha, but also with his uncle Oscar Neggo (mother’s brother) and his family (wife, children and some others family members).
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939N-FHS6-BL?i=1265&cc=1849628
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939N-FC3L-DQ?i=2876&cc=1849628&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AKX35-VS7
For some reasons they changed lastname “Pessegov” for Bertha’s maiden name “Neggo”. Maybe because its deffently more Estonian and better for migration, who knows.
Technically Viktor and Irina can be Erika’s maternal prandparents, given the fact that “Neggo” is a rare surname and especially there’s only one “Irina Neggo”, but we still need at list one proof that they’re relatives.
Yes, we were right, its Iris’s parents.
Erika’s mother is Iris-Maja Pessegov (later Neggo) was born in Flensburg, Germany.
https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/de/search/person/68578204?s=Pessegov&t=2741344&p=0
Erika’s maternal grandfather was Viktor/Victor Woldemar Pessegov (later Neggo). Viktor was born in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. He was the son of Mihhail Pessegov and Bertha Clara Louise Neggo. Mihhail was Russian, born in Krasnoyarsk and was the son of Jakov Pessegov. Bertha was Estonian, born in Valjala, Saaremaa, Estonia, and was the daughter of Karl-Aleksander Nõgu/Neggo and Caroline Elisabeth Perker.
Erika’s maternal grandmother was Irina Büttner (the daughter of Georg Büttner and Anna Zorubina). Irina was born in Reval/Tallinn, Estonia. Georg was Estonian. Anna was Russian.
https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/de/search/person/68578203?s=Pessegov&t=2741344&p=0
I’m not sure about ancestry of some of her ancestors: Isn’t Georg Büttner sounds more German, likely Baltic German?
Pessegov and Zorubina pretty Russian.
Perker is also confusing.
Büttner sounds German, yes. And it fits with her mother being “of Estonian and German descent”.
Why is Perker confusing? It seems to be more common in Estonia than anywhere else in Europe, and the family lived in the Estonian countryside. But according to the family tree, the surname was Kerba some generations before, so we don’t really need to speculate.
Her father’s name is Dale A. Eleniak.
Her uncle was Eddie Carroll
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Carroll
Birth Name: Erika Maya Eleniak
Her father was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, of Ukrainian descent. Erika’s mother is Iris Maya (Neggo) Arnold.
that’s a Polish surname
It does sound polish but can’t find any evidence of that heritage
Most Eleniaks I can find are Ukrainian.