Jorma Kaukonen

Kaukonen in 2007, photo by Bonish Photo/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Jorma Ludwik Kaukonen, Jr.

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Birth: December 23, 1940

Ethnicity:
*father – Finnish, some Swedish
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish

Jorma Kaukonen is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist. He was the lead guitarist and singer of rock band Jefferson Airplane. Other members of the band included Paul Kantner and Grace Slick.

Jorma is the son of Beatrice Love (Levine) and Jorma Ludwig Kaukonen, who worked for the State Deparment. His brother is guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter Peter Kaukonen. The family lived in Pakistan and the Philippines for his father’s career. His father was of Finnish, and some Swedish, descent. His mother was Ashkenazi Jewish, and Jorma practices Judaism. He is married to Vanessa. He has two children.

Jorma’s paternal grandfather was Jaakko Ludvig Kaukonen (the son of Tuomas Hermanninpoika Kaukonen and Maria Simontytär Louko). Jaakko was born in Ylistaro, Finland. Maria Simontytär was the daughter of Simo Juhonpoika Louko and Susanna Matintytär Kaukonen.

Jorma’s paternal grandmother was Ida Charlotta Palmqvist (the daughter of Alexander Ferdinand Danielsson Palmqvist and Ida Sofia Aatamintytär Ruoja). Jorma’s grandmother Ida was born in Kotka, Kymenlaakso, Finland. Alexander was the son of Daniel Ferdinand Palmqvist and Eva Sofia Abramsdotter. Jorma’s great-grandmother Ida was the daughter of Aatami Mikonpoika Ruoja and Maria Aatamintytär Jussila.

Jorma’s maternal grandfather was named Benjamin Levine (the son of Samuel Levine). Benjamin was a Russian Jewish immigrant.

Jorma’s maternal grandmother was named Vera Faith Haskevitch. Vera was a Russian Jewish immigrant.

Source: Genealogy of Jorma Kaukonen – https://www.geni.com