Pamela Anderson
Anderson in 2011, s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Pamela Denise Anderson
Place of Birth: Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada
Date of Birth: July 1, 1967
Ethnicity: English, German, one quarter Finnish, some Northern Irish/Irish and Scottish
Pamela Anderson is a Canadian and American actress, model, television personality, author, and activist. She is known for playing C.J. Parker on the series Baywatch (played by Kelly Rohrbach in the 2017 film version). She was Playboy Playmate of the Month for February 1990, and has held the record for most Playboy covers. She is also known for her roles in the films Raw Justice, Barb Wire, Scary Movie 3, Superhero Movie, The Institute, and City Hunter, on the series Home Improvement, V.I.P., and Stacked, and on the reality/competition shows Dancing with the Stars, Bailando, VIP Brother, Dancing on Ice, and Danse avec les stars. She has supported animal rights/PETA in particular.
She was born in Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada, and raised in B.C., and is now also a U.S. citizen. Pamela is the daughter of Carol and Barry Anderson. She has two children, models Brandon Thomas Lee and Dylan Lee, with her former husband, musician Tommy Lee. At the time of her marriage, she was also credited as Pamela Anderson Lee.
Pamela is known as Canada’s “Centennial Baby,” as the first baby born on July 1, 1967, the 100th anniversary of Canada’s official founding (the Constitution Act, 1867).
Pamela has stated:
My real last name is Hyytiänen – My father’s Grandfather came from Finland. He changed our name to Anderson when he arrived in Canada. My mother’s Grandmother came from Russia… I am a citizen of the world though I was born in Canada.
Pamela’s paternal grandfather was Herman Anderson (the son of Juho Herman Hyytiäinen/Anderson and Rachel Evelyn Keski-Salmi/Solmie). Herman was Finnish. Juno was born in Kiimasjärvi Hyytiälä Alapiha, Saarijärvi, the son of Juho/John Hyytiäinen and Ulrika Henrikintytär Tourunen/Fouronen. Rachel was born in British Columbia, the daughter of Finnish parents, Heikki Heikinpoika “Henry” Solmie, Keski-Salmi and Maria/Marie Jaakontytär Ahonpää/Aphonää Hiirronniemi.
Pamela’s paternal grandmother was Marjorie Winifred Sherwen/Sherwin (the daughter of Richard Henry Sherwen and Sarah Steele). Marjorie was born in British Columbia, to parents from Cumberland, England. Richard was the son of Frances Agnes Sherwen. Sarah was the daughter of Joseph Steele/Steel and Ann Johnston.
Pamela’s maternal grandfather was William Thomas “Bill” Cawthorpe (the son of James Linden Thomas Cawthorpe and Mary Adaline Smith). William was born in Saskatchewan, and had English, German, Scottish, and Northern Irish/Irish ancestry. Linden was the son of Charles Henry Cawthorpe and Margaret O. “Maggie” Anger, who had German and Irish ancestry. Mary was the daughter of James Thomas Smith, whose mother’s family was Scottish; and of Lillian “Lillie”/Lilly Mae/May Harris.
Pamela’s maternal grandmother was Rosie/Rose Friesen (the daughter of Cornelius Peter Friesen and Anna Schulz/Schultz). Rosie was born in Silberfeld Village, Manitoba, Canada, and was of ethnic German descent, from a family that lived in Russia. Her family were Mennonites. Peter was the son of Peter R. Friesen and Anna Penner, who were from Chortitza, a Mennonite colony. Pamela’s great-grandmother Anna was born in Rosenbach, Chortitza, the daughter of Jacob Benjamin Schulz/Schultz and Katarina Dyck.
Sources: http://www.msnbc.msn.com
http://www.boston.com
Genealogy of Pamela Anderson (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Article about Pamela’s Finnish relatives – http://www.pamwatch.com
Death record of Pamela’s paternal grandfather, Herman Anderson – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Pamela’s paternal great-grandmother, Sarah (Steele) Sherwen – https://www.newspapers.com
Pamela’s maternal grandfather, William Thomas “Bill” Cawthorpe, on the 1926 Canada, Prairie Provinces Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Pamela’s maternal grandmother, Rosie/Rose (Friesen) Cawthorpe – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Pamela’s maternal great-aunt (grandmother’s sister), Eoleia “Vie” (Friesen) Zapshala – https://www.timescolonist.com
Add Scottish under her ethnicity. (Pamela’s great-great-grandfather James Thomas Smith’s mother Ellen B. Rouley/Rowley/Rowlie was Scottish.)
Add Irish. Pamela’s great-great-grandmother Margaret Anger’s maternal grandparents (William McKibbin and Mary Stirling) were immigrants from Ireland.
You can’t help but admire how she’s been making morons out of us all these years with the “Russian ancestry” & “Grosco” … It’s only now, in 2020 (and she’s been a thing for, like, 30 years or so), that we learn those were bull
Pamela always said that her great-grandmother (or great-great-grandmother) was Russian and not whole her mothers family, so “Grosco” was never connected with that line
I believe Anderson was referring to her maternal grandmother’s mother, who was born in Russia (while her husband was born in Canada).
https://mobile.twitter.com/pamfoundation/status/1110223845410197504
I’m not sure if Anderson herself ever mentioned the name Grosco. It appears to be something that was created without her involvement.
People of ethnic German from Russia descent often call themselves Russian, even though their ancestors didn’t and probably didn’t even speak Russian.
IMO “Dale Jagger Grosco” is fake stuff. No record exists of him, AFAIK.
Yes.
I am glad we agree on something.
Forgive me if I have submitted unnecessary links, but my only goal is to improve the site
She was also credited as Pamela Lee in Baywatch.
Andrew, how closely are you related to Pamela Anderson?
No, but me and David Lynch are 4th cousins once removed, or something like that.