Nate Ruess

Nate Ruess

Ruess in 2012, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Nathaniel Joseph Ruess

Place of Birth: Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.

Date of Birth: February 26, 1982

Ethnicity:
*71.875% German
*15.625% Dutch
*12.5% Irish

Nate Ruess is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead singer of the band Fun., which also includes Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost. Nate was previously lead singer of the band The Format.

Nate is the son of Bess and Larry Ruess. His uncle, John Ruess, was a Broadway performer. He was raised mostly in Glendale, Arizona, on a farm. Nate’s ancestry is 23/32 German, 5/32 Dutch, and 4/32 Irish.

Nate has two children with his partner, British fashion designer Charlotte Ronson. Charlotte is the sister of musicians and DJs Mark Ronson and Samantha Ronson.

Nate’s paternal grandfather is Robert H. Ruess (the son of Albert John Ruess and Margaret Irene Gatens). Robert was born in Iowa. Albert was the son of Henry Roland Ruess, who was born in Iowa, to German parents, and of Wilhelmina M. “Minnie” Brugman, who was of Dutch and German descent. Margaret was of Irish descent, and was the daughter of Edward Gatens and Ellen C. McGee.

Nate’s paternal grandmother was Geraldine Dorothy “Jerry” Wissink (the daughter of Aloysius Wissink and Katharina/Katharine “Kate” Holtermann/Halterman). Geraldine was born in Iowa, to a Dutch father and a German mother. Aloysius was born in Hollands Kroon Municipality, Noord-Holland.

Nate’s maternal grandfather was Anthony William Zinger (the son of Andrew E. Zinger and Estella Marie Moeller). Anthony was born in Iowa, of German descent, with some of his father’s family being from Alsace-Lorraine. Andrew was the son of Anton Zinger and Caroline “Carrie” Kohn. Nate’s great-grandmother Estella was born in Iowa, the daughter of William Adolph Moeller, who was from Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and of Emma Thiering.

Nate’s maternal grandmother was Erma Behrens (the daughter of Henry Behrens and Margaretha Wellendorf-Arp). Erma was born in Iowa. Henry was born in Iowa, to German parents. Margaretha was German.

Sources: History of the Ruess family – http://iagenweb.org

Nate’s paternal grandfather, Robert H. Ruess, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy and obituary of Nate’s paternal grandfather, Robert H. Ruess – http://www.findagrave.com

Nate’s paternal grandmother, Geraldine Dorothy Wissink, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogies of Nate’s maternal grandparents, Anthony William Zinger and Erma (Behrens) Zinger – http://www.findagrave.com

Nate’s maternal grandfather, Anthony William Zinger, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Nate’s maternal grandmother, Erma Behrens, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Nate’s maternal grandmother, Erma (Behrens) Zinger – http://qctimes.com

9 Responses

  1. bucksadoo says:

    He looks like an indigenous Scandinavian. Quite surprising that he doesn’t have any Scandinavian ancestry.

  2. Capricious says:

    Looks Norwegian and Danish.

  3. andrew says:

    looks German/Danish

    • andrew says:

      LOL. Nobody cares about eye colours, they don’t definy ethnicity or nationality. How someone whose ancestry is 87.5% Germanic hasn’t Germanic features is beyond me.

  4. I’m guessing because of his nose? Well then, lucky him.

  5. M says:

    Clearly has some African admixture.

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