Paul Dano
Dano in 2013, image via Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Paul Franklin Dano
Place of Birth: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: June 19, 1984
Ethnicity:
*50% Rusyn
*25% Swedish
*25% mix of Slovenian and Bohemian Czech
Paul Dano is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and musician. His roles include the films The Newcomers, L.I.E., The Emperor’s Club, Taking Lives, The Girl Next Door, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Little Miss Sunshine, Fast Food Nation, There Will Be Blood, Taking Woodstock, Knight and Day, Cowboys & Aliens, Being Flynn, Ruby Sparks, Looper, For Ellen, 12 Years a Slave, Prisoners, Love & Mercy, Youth (2015), Swiss Army Man, Okja, The Batman (2022), and The Fabelmans, and television’s War & Peace (2016) and Escape at Dannemora. He also directed the film Wildlife.
Paul is the son of Gladys and Paul Dano, a financial advisor. His father is originally from Pennsylvania. Paul was raised partly in New Canaan and Wilton, both in Connecticut. He has two children with his partner, actress and screenwriter Zoe Kazan. The two co-wrote Wildlife.
Paul’s paternal grandfather was John Dano/Danno (the son of Nicholas Dano/Danno and Mary Matey). John was born in Pennsylvania, to Rusyn parents (Carpathian Ruthenians).
Paul’s paternal grandmother was Anna/Annie H. Herzo/Heras (the daughter of John Herzo/Heras and Mary Trapchak/Ivopetok). Anna was born in Pennsylvania, also to Rusyn parents.
Paul’s maternal grandfather was Frank Jacob Pipp (the son of Frank Jacob Pipp and Caroline I. “Carrie” Snyder). Paul’s grandfather Frank was born in Michigan. Paul’s great-grandfather Frank was born in Michigan, to parents from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, John Pipp and Mary Pangrelic/Pechie; John was from Feistritz an der Gail, a Slovenian-speaking town. Caroline was evidently born in Vienna, Austria, the daughter of Frank/Franc William Snyder and Anna/Annie/Anne Macek, and was of Bohemian Czech descent.
Paul’s maternal grandmother was Gloria Charlotte Nilsson (the daughter of Okie Richard Nilsson and Elsie Anna Hanson). Gloria was born in Illinois. Okie was born in Sweden, the son of Johan Nilsson and Hella Gram. Elsie was of Swedish descent.
Sources: Paul’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Paul’s paternal grandparents, John Dano/Danno and Anna/Annie H. Herzo/Heras, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Paul’s paternal grandmother, Anna/Annie H. Herzo/Heras, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Paul’s maternal grandfather, Frank Jacob Pipp, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Paul’s maternal great-grandparents, Frank Jacob Pipp and Caroline I. “Carrie” Snyder – https://www.familysearch.org
Paul’s maternal great-grandmother, Caroline I. “Carrie” Snyder, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Paul’s maternal great-grandfather, Okie Richard Nilsson – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Paul’s maternal great-grandfather, Okie Richard Nilsson – https://www.newspapers.com
He looks like Trump. Poor guy ….
Actually no, Trump is way taller than him and also different face structure.
He looks like what he is : A “mix” of eastern european and scandinavian. But i would say that the scandinavian part came strong in his make up, once i saw a swedish guy that looked a lot like him.
Wait, you accidentaly removed Bohemian. Snyder/Macek family was from Bohemia.
Were they only Czech or part German?
I don’t know. The census says Bohemian. Schneider is usually a German name in Czechia, but in the version Šnajdr, it’s usually Czech (still an originally German word, but loaned into Czech). I really can’t say anything, oder than what’s on records.
What’s up with the 1930 census saying that Frank Pipp’s parents were from Prague and that Caroline and her parents were from Vienna?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQY8-HDT
When it comes to Caroline, the 1920 census says that she and her parents were “Bohemian”, so that’s what I’ll go for regardless of where they were born.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZSG-ZD7
We don’t need to “mix” Slovenian and Czech when his grandfather was half, half. Just put them as 12.5% each.
Nicholas Dano was born in West Bohemia (near Plzeň) so he was unlikely Slovak.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/genealogy/records/john-dano-24-m7sd3k
This document is also interesting: a passport application to visit “relatives” in Italy: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9D3-3H6G?i=314&cc=2185145&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQV5Y-4442
Where do you see that? I see England (bar association meeting); Czechoslovakia (settling an estate); France (visit something, can’t read).
In John Dano’s brother’s obituary, it says he was a member of Carpatho Rusyn Society of Lackawanna County.
According to Anna Dano’s obituary, her parent’s were John Herzo and Mary Trapchak.
This is Anna on the census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGQQ-G38
Her parent’s are listed as Ruthenians from Hungary. It’s safe to say Paul’s father is entirely Rusyn.
In the scanned document. That is just a trivia, though. So they were Ruthenian, I agree.
Do you mind checking the Gilroy brothers and Jon Bongiovi “Slovak” grandparent if it’s correct.
John Pipp and Mary Pechie (Pangrelic?) were probably Croats. Both Croatian surnames.
https://it.findagrave.com/memorial/103862157/jacob-pipp
Anything Austrian in that family (as usual for “Austrians”), except maybe Snyder.
John Pipp was from Feistritz an der Gail, which was a Slovenian speaking town, so he’s likely Slovenian.
Thanks. Slovenian was my second option too. It seems right.