Mackenzie Ziegler
Ziegler in 2016, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Mackenzie Frances Ziegler
Place of Birth: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Birth: June 4, 2004
Ethnicity: German, one quarter Italian [including Sicilian], one quarter Polish, one eighth Albanian, Swiss-German
Mackenzie Ziegler is an American dancer, singer, actress, model, and internet personality. She has appeared on the reality show Dance Moms and the series Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn and Total Eclipse; and in the films Tabaluga, in voice role, and Let Us In. She has often performed with singer Johnny Orlando.
Mackenzie is the daughter of Melissa and Kurt Zeigler, who owned a mortgage company. Her sister is dancer, actress, and model Maddie Ziegler. She was raised in Murrysville, near Pittsburgh.
Mackenzie’s paternal grandfather was James A. Ziegler (the son of John Stuart Ziegler and Elizabeth Gertrude Fischer). James was of German descent. John was the son of John Joseph Ziegler, whose father was German, with roots in Bavaria, and whose mother was likely from Alsace-Lorraine; and of Celia/Cecelia M. Stewart/Stuart, whose father was also from Germany. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Jacob Fischer, whose parents were German, with roots in Baden; and of Margaret Anna Sauer.
Mackenzie’s paternal grandmother was Mary Ann Meyers (the daughter of William Joseph Meyers and Sarah Viscomi). Mary Ann was born in Washington, Pennsylvania. William was of German, including Swiss-German, descent, and was the son of Joseph Meyers and Annie D. Lenz, whose father was born in Germany. Sarah was the daughter of Italian parents, Frank Viscomi and Mary Ceila Massa.
Mackenzie’s maternal grandfather was Gerard Sulo (the son of George Sulo and Angelina Longo). Gerard was born in Brooklyn, New York. Gerard was born in Selenicë, Vlorë County, Albania, and is evidently inscribed as an Arab-speaker on the 1930 U.S. Census. Angelina was the daughter of Sicilian Italian parents.
Mackenzie’s maternal grandmother was Frances Joyce Jakubowski (the daughter of Feliks/Felix Jakub Jakubowski and Helen Dąbrowska/Dombrowska). Frances was born in New York, to Polish parents, from Warsaw.
Sources: http://maddieziegler.com
Genealogy of Mackenzie Ziegler (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Mackenzie’s paternal grandfather, James A. Ziegler, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Mackenzie’s paternal grandfather, James A. Ziegler – http://www.legacy.com
Mackenzie’s paternal great-grandfather, John Stuart Ziegler, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Mackenzie’s paternal great-grandmother, Elizabeth Gertrude Fischer, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Mackenzie’s paternal grandmother, Mary Ann (Meyers) Ziegler – http://www.williamfgrossfh.com
Genealogies of Mackenzie’s maternal grandparents, Gerard Sulo and Frances Joyce Jakubowski – https://www.familysearch.org
Mackenzie’s maternal great-grandfather, George Sulo, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Mackenzie’s maternal grandmother was Frances Joyce Jakubowski (born to Feliks Jakub Jakubowski and Helen Dąbrowska). She was born in New York to Polish parents from Warsaw
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/GJPH-H6R
So, ultimately:
3/8 German (including Swiss and Alsatian, possibly Dutch)
2/8 Italian
2/8 Polish
1/8 Albanian
don’t know where Scottish comes from
Scottish probably comes from the Stewart line.
According to the censuses linked in the familysearch tree, Cecelia’s father was German and originally named Steuer.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/L16H-SZ6
It looks like Mackenzie’s paternal grandfather was predominantly, or entirely, of German origin.
BTW, one of these familysearch trees states that her great-great-grandfather, Joseph Meyers, who they also claim was the son of a nine year-old girl, married his aunt, his mother’s sister.
I don’t know if I believe that, but it would have made for one hell of a romantic comedy. It at least must have produced some awkward Thanksgiving dinner table conversations.
Also, they are probably listed as Arab-speakers because they were Muslim.
Mackenzie’s maternal grandfather was Gerard Sulo (born to George Sulo and Angelina Longo). Gerard was born in Brooklyn. Gerard was born in Albania and is listed as an Arabic speaker in the 1930 US Census. Angelina Longo was Italian, both her parents being from Agira, Sicily.
https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10134-220589773/george-sulo-in-1930-united-states-federal-census
George was born in Selenica, Albania. I don’t think him being listed as an Arabic speaker is relevant for what his ethnicity was.
i marked him as albanian in my full breakdown of mackenzie’s heritage, i just wanted to include the arabic mention in the comment in case someone thought it might mean anything
I thought so, I just didn’t want it to cause any confusion. Censuses are often wrong when it comes to smaller, less-known countries.
Interestingly, the town Selenicë in Vlorë County (which I assume is his birthplace) has a sizable Aromanian population, with even more self-declared Aromanians than Albanians (although the majority didn’t declare any ethnicity at all). But I don’t think we know enough to say that he was anything other than Albanian.
I probably find George’s sisters, Emina Mehmet and Pembe Elmas, maiden name Sadik (original family name?), who also born in Selenica.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6PWP-ZXFH
George listed as Emina’s brother and also both language as “arabian” -https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4KN-1M3
Pembe listed as Emina’s sister – https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3YH-577
In all documents all of them listed as born in Albania or Albanian by nationality. Althrough it was mistake where Albania was written as “Alabama” in one record, my it be same mistake with language “albanian” – “arabian”?
Mackenzie’s paternal grandmother was Mary Ann Meyers (born to William Joseph Meyers and Sarah Viscomi). Mary was born in Washington, Pennsylvania. William was of German (including Swiss) descent, while Sarah was of Italian descent.
http://www.williamfgrossfh.com/index.php/view-current-obituaries/819-mary-ann-ziegler
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/G654-BLK