Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Thomas in 2003, photo by PrPhotos.com

Birth Name: Jonathan Taylor Weiss

Place of Birth: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Date of Birth: September 8, 1981

Ethnicity: German, Swiss-German, Portuguese, English, distant Irish, French, and Scottish, remote Dutch

Jonathan Taylor Thomas is an American actor and director. He starred in the films The Lion King (1994), voicing young Simba; Man of the House, Tom and Huck (1995), The Adventures of Pinocchio, Wild America, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Speedway Junky, Walking Across Egypt, and, in voice-role, the animated films Pom Poko and Thru the Moebius Strip; on the shows The Adventures of Spot and Home Improvement, and in the made-for-tv film Common Ground. He directed episodes of the show Last Man Standing, which he also appeared on.

Jonathan was raised mostly in Sacramento, and then Los Angeles, California. His father is of Pennsylvania Dutch [German] descent, with some Swiss-German roots, and distant Irish and French ancestry. His mother is of Portuguese, English, and smaller amounts of Scottish and Dutch, ancestry. His uncle was playwright, impresario, and actor Jeff Weiss.

Jonathan’s paternal Weiss line traces to Johannes “John” Weiss, who was born, c. 1756, in Wies, Lorrach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Jonathan’s paternal grandfather was Benjamin Laucks “Ben” Weiss (the son of George Jacob Weiss and Emma A. Laucks). Benjamin was born in Pennsylvania, and was from a Lutheran family that had lived in Pennsylvania for many generations, of Pennsylvania Dutch [German] descent, with some Swiss-German roots. Benjamin also had remote French ancestry. George’s parents were The Rev. Benjamin J. Weiss and Emma Rahn Merkel. Jonathan’s great-great-grandfather The Rev. Benjamin was a minister in the Reformed Church (also known as the German Reformed Church), who preached in both German and English. Jonathan’s great-grandmother Emma was the daughter of Henry R. Laucks and Emma R. Raser/Raezer.

Jonathan’s paternal grandmother was Helen E. Eagle (the daughter of Charles R. Eagle and Nora Hetty Boerkert/Borkert). Helen was born in Pennsylvania, and was also from a Lutheran family of Pennsylvania Dutch [German] descent, with distant Irish roots. Charles was the son of Richard L. Eagle and Ellen Reifschneider. Nora was the daughter of Albert G. Borkert and Malinda Wentzel.

Jonathan’s maternal grandfather likely was John Carson Gonsalves (the son of Manuel Gonçalves/Gonsalves and Clara de Jesus Pereira). John was born in California, to Portuguese parents from Madeira.

Jonathan’s maternal grandmother likely was Mary Lee White (the daughter of Roy Edgar White and Elza Viola Chandler). Mary was born in North Carolina. Roy was the son of Solomon Sanders “Sol” White and Mary Lou Ellen “Mollie” White. Elza was the daughter of William Henry Chandler and Margaret Malvinia/Melvinia Poindexter.

Sources: Genealogy of Jonathan Taylor Thomas – https://www.geni.com

Engagement announcement of Jonathan’s paternal grandparents, Benjamin Laucks Weiss and Helen E. Eagle, 1925 – http://news.google.com

Jonathan’s paternal grandfather, Benjamin Laucks Weiss, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Jonathan’s paternal great-grandparents, George Jacob Weiss and Emma A. Laucks – https://familysearch.org

Biography of Jonathan’s paternal great-great-grandfather, The Rev. Benjamin J. Weiss – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Obituary of Jonathan’s paternal grandmother, Helen E. (Eagle) Weiss – http://articles.mcall.com

Genealogy of Jonathan’s maternal grandparents, John Carson Gonsalves and Mary Lee White – https://www.familysearch.org