Leo Howard

Howard in 2013, image via kathclick/Bigstock.com

Place of Birth: Newport Beach, California, U.S.

Date of Birth: July 13, 1997

Ethnicity:
*father – English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish

Leo Howard is an American actor, model, and martial artist. He is known for his roles in the films G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Shorts (2009), Logan (2010), Conan the Barbarian (2011), and Andron, and on television’s Leo Little’s Big Show, Kickin’ It, Shake It Up, Freakish, Santa Clarita Diet, Why Women Kill, and Legacies. The Guinness World Records described him as the youngest television director ever for his work on an episode of Kickin’ It, at sixteen.

His parents, Randye and Todd Howard, starred on the reality series World’s Worst Tenants. His father is from South Carolina, and has English and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish ancestry. Leo’s mother is Jewish, of Russian Jewish, Austrian Jewish, and Lithuanian Jewish descent. Leo was raised in Fallbrook, near San Diego, California.

Leo is a third cousin, twice removed, of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Leo’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Jacob Dworsky, was a brother of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s maternal great-grandmother, Chaia Sorah Dworsky.

Leo’s paternal grandfather was Farrell Franklin Howard (the son of Voyde Elmer Howard and Lois Estelle Campbell). Farrell was born in South Carolina. Voyde was the son of Robert Ralphus Howard and Mary Jane Porter. Lois was the daughter of Thomas Newman Campbell and Lunda Jane Frady.

Leo’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Joan Cooke (the daughter of John Houston Cook/Cooke and Myrtle Elizabeth “Lizzie” Stanley). John was the son of John C. Cook and Calvin Sally/Sallie Edwards. Myrtle was the daughter of Mary I.

Leo’s maternal grandfather was Richard Dworsky (the son of Dovid/David Alexander Dworsky and Carrie/Caroline/Charlotte Autler). Richard was born in New York. Dovid was born in New York, to Russian Jewish/Lithuanian Jewish parents, Abraham/Avrohom/Abram Jacob Dworsky and Braina/Bertha Philips/Phillips. Carrie was born in New York, to parents of Austrian Jewish/German Jewish descent, Joseph Autler and Charlotte Caroline Heidelberg, who was born in Frankfurt, Darmstadt, Hesse.

Leo’s maternal grandmother was Phyllis Nan Dworsky (the daughter of Refoel/Ralph F. Dworsky and Rochel/Rose Gelsin). Phyllis was born in Nebraska. Refoel and Rose were born in Minnesota, both of them to Russian Jewish parents. Refoel was the son of Abraham Shmuel/Samuel Dworsky and Roize/Rose Levin. Leo’s great-grandmother Rose was born in Dnipropetrovs’k, Ukraine, the daughter of Gussie Novicoff.

Leo’s maternal grandparents were fourth cousins through their Dworsky line.

Sources: Genealogy of Leo Howard – https://www.geni.com

Obituary of Leo’s paternal great-grandmother, Lois Estelle (Campbell) Howard – http://www.findagrave.com

Leo’s paternal great-grandfather, John Houston Cook/Cooke, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Leo’s paternal great-grandfather, John Houston Cook/Cooke – https://www.familysearch.org

Leo’s paternal great-grandmother, Myrtle Elizabeth Stanley, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Leo’s maternal grandfather, Richard Dworsky, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Leo’s maternal great-grandfather, Dovid/David Alexander Dworsky – https://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Leo’s maternal great-grandmother, Carrie/Caroline/Charlotte Autler (through her sister) – https://www.geni.com

Leo’s maternal grandmother, Phyllis Nan Dworsky, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Leo’s maternal grandmother, Phyllis Nan Dworsky – http://www.jewishjournal.com

Genealogy of Leo’s maternal great-great-great-great-grandfather, Azriel Zelig Dworsky (focusing on his own father’s side) – https://www.geni.com