Melissa Joan Hart
Hart in 2013, photo by Joe Seer/www.bigstockphoto.com
Place of Birth: Smithtown, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 18, 1976
Ethnicity: Irish, German, one quarter Slovenian, one eighth Ashkenazi Jewish, possibly other
Melissa Joan Hart is an American actress, producer, director, fashion designer, singer, and businessperson.
She is the daughter of Paula Hart, a producer and talent manager, and William Hart, a carpenter, shellfish purveyor, oyster hatchery worker, and entrepreneur. Among her siblings is actress Emily Hart. She grew up in Sayville, New York. Melissa is married to musician Mark Wilkerson, with whom she has three children.
Her father is of at least part Irish descent. Her mother is of one half Slovenian, one quarter Ashkenazi Jewish, and one quarter German, ancestry.
Melissa is a practicing Christian.
Melissa’s paternal grandmother was named Ethel.
Melissa’s maternal grandfather was Stanley John Voje (the son of Frank Voje and Angela Košak). Stanley was born in Pennsylvania, to Slovenian parents. Frank was born in Litija, the son of Frank Woje/Voje and Julia/Ana Štrus/Strusse. Angela was born in Jarše, Ljubljana, the daughter of Thomas/Tomaž Košak and Anna Pestotnik/Pertodnick.
Melissa’s maternal grandmother was Joan M. Laderwager (the daughter of Matthew Nathan Laderwager/Lederwarger and Elsie/Elizabeth Fieger/Feiger). Joan was born in New York. Matthew was born in Kiev, Russian Empire, to a Jewish family, and was the son of Hyman Lederwager, from Daschev, and of Braine/Bessie Segal/Siegel, whose family was from Radyvyliv, Rivne, Ukraine. Melissa’s great-grandmother Elsie was born in New York, the daughter of Otto Fieger/Feiger, who was German, from Hamburg, and of Lena/Magdalena Hebenstreit/Hebenstrait/Habenstein, who was born in New York, to German parents.
Sources: Genealogy of Melissa Joan Hart – https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Melissa’s maternal grandfather, Stanley John Voje – http://www.legacy.com
Marriage record of Melissa’s great-grandparents, Frank Voje and Angela Košak – https://familysearch.org
Melissa’s maternal grandmother, Joan M. Laderwager, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Melissa’s maternal great-grandmother, Elsie/Elizabeth Fieger/Feiger, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Elsie/Elizabeth Fieger/Feiger on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Melissa’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Otto Fieger/Feiger and Lena/Magdalena Hebenstreit/Hebenstrait/Habenstein, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Melissa’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Otto Fieger/Feiger – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Melissa’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Lena/Magdalena (Hebenstreit/Hebenstrait/Habenstein) Fieger – https://www.familysearch.org
Hart is a common name in Ireland. It means descendant of Art which was a male first name.
I’m genuinely surprised to find out she has Ashkenazi and Slovenian background!
I really though she was British, English or mostly English with MAYBE a small amount of Irish or something.
I really like the fact she’s Slovenian as it’s not too far away from Greece and I’m Greek Cypriot.
Also, I would like to know what kind of Ashkenazi background she has?
Won’t let me edit my comment so I will just say that I just read her Jewish background is Russian and Ukrainian which is interesting.
She’s a lot more Slavic than I thought!
@Nicholas
About the Slovenia-Greece connection, that is easily one of the weirdest comments I’ve read here. Let alone with Cyprus.
It still does not beat the one who wrote “China is close to (or not far from) Africa”. I can’t forget it!.
Hart is an English surname.
Not exclusively. Given that Melissa was raised Catholic, the surname might be of Irish origin in this case.
I thought it was German?
It is more common in England than Germany. A few Dutch people also have that surname.
Follers, any more information on her?
Yes.
Awesome, I honestly though we wouldn’t have any more information on her for a long time. Remarkable how many celebrities have hidden Jewish ancestry in their background.
Why do you assume her father has Irish roots? Because of the surname? Religion?
Why percentages when her father’s ancestry isn’t known? It looks wierd.
I like it precise.
This whole website looks pretty weird.
https://twitter.com/MelissaJoanHart/status/842698502140391424