Margie Moran

Birth Name: Maria Margarita Roxas Moran

Place of Birth: Manila, Philippines

Date of Birth: September 15, 1953

Ethnicity: Filipino [including Capiznon and Pangasinan], one eighth African-American, some Spanish [including Cantabrian] and Chinese

Margie Moran, also known as Margarita Moran-Floirendo, is a Filipina peace advocate, President of Ballet Philippines, Chair of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and beauty queen. She won the Miss Universe crown in 1973. She is the daughter of Francis Gonzales Moran and Rosario “Charo” McIlvain Roxas. She has two children with her husband, congressman Antonio R. Floirendo.

Margie’s paternal grandfather was Manuel Morán y Palisoc (the son of Juan Jacinto Morán and María Guillerma or Margarita “Titay” Palisoc y Sison). Manuel was born in Binalonan, Pangasinan, Ilocos Region, Philippines. Titay was a native of Binalonan, and was the daughter of Francisco Palisoc and Gerónima Sison. The surname Sison is possibly of Chinese origin. It is not clear if Manuel had Chinese ancestry. Titay’s brother, Antonio Palisoc y Sison, was listed as “indio” (native) on church records.

Margie’s paternal grandmother was named Nieves Gonzáles.

Margie’s maternal grandfather was Manuel Roxas, who was President of the Philippines, from May 28, 1946 to April 15, 1948 (the son of Gerardo Roxas y Arroyo and Rosario Acuña y Villaruz). Manuel was born in Capiz (present-day Roxas City), Capiz, Philippines. Gerardo was the son of Antonio Roxas y Ubaldo and Lucina Arroyo. Rosario was the daughter of Eleuterio Acuña and Ramona Villaruz y Andrada.

Margie’s maternal grandmother was Juanita Muriedas McIlvain (the daughter of Sterling Robert McIlvain and Carmen Muriedas y del Carpio, or Carmen del Carpio Muriedas in Filipino). Sterling was an African-American, from Birmingham, Alabama. He was the son of Richard McIlvain and Fannie Kennedy. He was listed as “Negro” or “Mulatto” on the 1880 and 1930 U.S. censuses, respectively. Carmen was the daughter of José Muriedas y Saro, who was from Santa María de Cayón, Cantabria, Spain, and of María del Carpio y Enríquez (or María Enríquez del Carpio in Filipino), who was a Filipino.

Sources: Genealogy of Margie Moran – http://www.geni.com

Margie’s maternal great-grandfather, Sterling Robert McIlvain, on the 1880 U.S. census – https://familysearch.org
Sterling Robert McIlvain on the 1930 U.S. census – https://familysearch.org