Julian Edelman

Edelman in 2015, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Julian Francis Edelman

Place of Birth: Redwood City, San Mateo, California, United States

Date of Birth: May 22, 1986

Ethnicity: German, one eighth Ashkenazi Jewish, one eighth Greek, Irish, English, Scottish, Polish, Belgian

Julian Edelman is an American professional football player. A wide receiver, he played twelve seasons for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He was voted Super Bowl MVP for Super Bowl LIII (2019).

Julian is the son of Angela and Frank Edelman. He has a daughter with his former partner, Swedish model Ella Rose.

His ancestry is German, one eighth Ashkenazi Jewish, one eighth Greek, Irish, English, Scottish, Polish, and Belgian. His mother was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, to Belgian parents who were of mostly German ancestry.

He was not raised in the Jewish religion. Julian practices Judaism now, and describes himself as Jewish, having become a prominent Jewish-American personality in the late 2010s and early 2020s; he often speaks out about anti-Semitism. He grew more interested in the faith during his teenage years, experiencing what he refers to in his autobiography as a “Jewish-awakening.”

A discussion of Julian’s Jewishness by writer Nate Bloom can be read here.

Julian’s paternal grandfather was John Harry/Henry Edelman (the son of Harry Edelman and Mabel/Mable Hennessey/Hennesey). John was born in Illinois, U.S., or in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Julian’s great-grandfather Harry was born in Wegrow, Węgrów County, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland, to a Jewish family, and was the son of Abraham Edelman and Friema. He was an immigrant to the U.S. Julian’s great-grandmother Mabel was born in Liverpool, England, and was Roman Catholic by religion, and of Irish ancestry; she was the daughter of William Hennesey and Margaret E. Murtaugh.

Julian’s paternal grandmother was Mary Louise Hinds Gregory (the daughter of William M. “Bill” Gregory and Mary J. Chriss). Julian’s grandmother Mary Louise was born in Oklahoma. William was born in Palovia, Greece. Julian’s great-grandmother Mary J. was the daughter of Marion E. Chriss and Allie/Alice Claire Wheat.

Julian’s maternal grandfather was Mathias Gole (the son of Rudolf Gole and Angela Travec/Ipouite). Mathias was born in Genk, Limburg, Flanders, Belgium, and had German ancestry.

Julian’s maternal grandmother was Isolde Gertrude Krawczyk (the daughter of Robert Krawczyk and Charlotte Kühn). Isolde was born in Genk, Limburg, Flanders, Belgium. Robert was born in Bochum Südwest, Arnsberg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, the son of Johann Krawczyk and Hermina-Luise Domenig, from Hamburg. Charlotte was born in Pabianice, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland, the daughter of Eduard Kühn and Olga Prüfer, who were of ethnic German descent.

Sources: Genealogy of Julian Edelman – http://www.geni.com

Obituary of Julian’s paternal grandfather, John Harry/Henry Edelman – http://www.newspapers.com

Gravestone of Julian’s paternal grandfather, John Harry/Henry Edelman – http://www.findagrave.com

Julian’s paternal grandmother, Mary Louise Gregory, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Mary Louise Gregory on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Julian’s paternal great-grandmother, Mary J. Chriss, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Julian’s maternal grandmother, Isolde Gertrude (Krawczyk) Gole – http://www.tributes.com