Jay Duplass

Duplass in 2015, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Lawrence John Duplass, Jr.

Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

Date of Birth: March 7, 1973

Ethnicity: Cajun French, German, Swiss-German, one quarter Italian/Sicilian, some Ashkenazi Jewish, likely some Creole/African

Jay Duplass is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His brother is filmmaker and actor Mark Duplass. Known as The Duplass Brothers, they co-directed the films The Puffy Chair, Baghead, Cyrus, Jeff, Who Lives at Home; and The Do-Deca-Pentathlon; all of which they co-wrote. They co-created the shows Togetherness and Room 104, both of which they also directed and wrote episodes for. Jay also co-wrote the film Outside In, and directed episodes of the shows Search Party and Somebody Somewhere. As an actor, Jay has starred on the show Transparent. Mark and Jay started the production company Duplass Brothers Productions.

Jay was raised Catholic. He is married to Jen Tracy-Duplass, and has two children.

Jay is a second cousin, once removed, of actor Bryan Batt. Jay’s paternal great-great-grandparents, August Spraul and Olivia Caselia Rossvalley/Rosevalley, were also Bryan’s paternal great-grandparents.

A 23andMe DNA test taken by Jay stated that his genetic ancestry is:

*15% Ashkenazi Jewish

Jay’s paternal grandfather was Lawrence Stein Duplass (the son of John Theodore/B. Duplass and Orene/Irene Frances Stein). Lawrence was born in Louisiana. John was born in Louisiana, and may have been the son of Felix Duplessis and Regina, who were Creole. Orene was the daughter of Adolphe/Adolph Jacob Stein, who was a German Jewish immigrant, and of Mary Aufdemorte, whose parents were German.

Jay’s paternal grandmother was June Sehrt (the daughter of daughter of John J. Sehrt and Norma Othilda Spraul). Jay’s grandmother June was born in Louisiana. Jay’s great-grandfather John was of German descent, and was the son of William F. Sehrt and Katherine/Catherine/Katie Sulfsted, both of whom were the children of immigrants. Norma was the daughter of August Spraul, whose parents were German, and of Olivia Caselia Rossvalley/Rosevalley, who was of half German Jewish and half German (Christian) background. Olivia’s father, Max Louis Rosevalley/Mordechai Rosenthal, was born in Laupheim bei Ulm, Wuertemberg, to a Jewish family; he was a surgeon in the Louisiana militia, who was also a robber and a thief, and a spy during the Civil War. He converted to Christianity.

Jay’s maternal grandfather was John Anthony Ernst, Jr. (the son of John Anthony Ernst and Leontine Pauline Bordes). John was the son of Joseph Ernst/Earnest, whose parents were German, and of Josephine Keller, whose parents were Swiss-German. Leontine was the daughter of French parents, Alexandre Bordes and Marie Sauné.

Jay’s maternal grandmother was Cathryn/Catherine Mae Gallo (the daughter of Salvadore “Samuel” George Gallo and Theresa M. Corceller). Cathryn was of Italian/Sicilian descent, with roots in Ustica island. Theresa was the daughter of Giuseppe Caserti/Caserta/Cazzetta/Corceller and Caterina/Catherine Rando.

Sources: Marriage record of Jay’s paternal grandparents, Lawrence Stein Duplass and June Sehrt – https://familysearch.org

Jay’s paternal grandfather, Lawrence Stein Duplass, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Lawrence Stein Duplass on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Jay’s paternal great-grandmother, Orene/Irene Frances Stein, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Orene/Irene Frances Stein on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Jay’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Adolphe/Adolph Jacob Stein and Mary Aufdemorte – https://www.familysearch.org

Jay’s paternal grandmother, June Sehrt, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Jay’s paternal great-grandfather, John J. Sehrt, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
John J. Sehrt on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Jay’s paternal great-great-grandparents, William F. Sehrt and Katherine/Catherine/Katie Sulfsted – https://familysearch.org

Jay’s paternal great-grandmother, Norma Othilda Spraul, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Jay’s paternal great-great-grandparents, August Spraul and Olivia Caselia Rossvalley/Rosevalley – https://www.findagrave.com

Marriage record of Jay’s paternal great-great-grandparents, August Spraul and Olivia Caselia Rossvalley/Rosevalley – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Jay’s maternal great-grandparents, John Anthony Ernst and Leontine Pauline Bordes – https://www.familysearch.org

Jay’s maternal great-grandfather, John Anthony Ernst, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Jay’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Joseph Ernst/Earnest and Josephine Keller, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Jay’s maternal great-grandmother, Theresa M. Corceller (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.ustica.org

Marriage record of Jay’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Giuseppe Caserti/Caserta/Cazzetta/Corceller and Caterina/Catherine Rando – https://www.familysearch.org