Lola Falana

Birth Name: Loletha Elayne Falana

Place of Birth: Camden, New Jersey, U.S.

Date of Birth: September 11, 1942

Ethnicity: African-American, as well as distant Italian and Catalan/Spanish

Lola Falana is an American singer, dancer, model, and actress.

She is the daughter of Cleo and Bennett Falana. Her parents were both black. She is sometimes said to have Cuban/African-Cuban ancestry. It is not clear if this is accurate. Her recent ancestors were American-born. Her surname traces back to a small amount of Italian and Catalan/Spanish ancestry, with roots in Florence, Tuscany and Minorca, Balearic Islands.

Lola’s paternal grandfather was George Peter Falana (the son of George Pete Faluna/Falana and Mary E. Young). Lola’s grandfather George was born in Ocala, Marion, Florida. Lola’s great-grandfather George was the son of Emanuel Estevan Falana and Sarah Ann Vandergrifft.

Lola’s paternal grandmother was named Lilla Armstrong. Lilla was born in Georgia.

Sources: Lola’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Lola’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Lola’s paternal grandfather, George Peter Falana, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Lola’s mother – http://www.legacy.com

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

6 Responses

  1. andrew says:

    Tag: “Catalan”

    • andrew says:

      Not Cuban at all. Her Falana ancestors have lived in Florida for many generations, even before jt became part of U.S. (hence the Spanish names). Her Italian and Catalan ancestors were from Florence, Tuscany and Minorca, Balearic Islands.

  2. walkabout123 says:

    That pfp is NOT Lola Falana. That’s Florence LaRue of the 5th Dimension

  3. bablah says:

    Lola’s paternal grandparents were George Peter Falana (son of George Pete Faluna/Falana and Mary E.) and Lilla Armstrong.

    Her father deffinitely wasn’t born in Cuba, but either Georgia or Florida.
    Her father on 1930 census:
    https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:STHM-16Z

    Her grandfather on 1900 census:
    https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M36H-D73

    I think this is her great-grandfather:
    https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNZW-R62

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