Rachel Bilson
Bilson in 2011, s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Rachel Sarah Bilson
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: August 25, 1981
Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*Italian (mother)
Rachel Bilson is an American actress. She is known for starring on the series The O.C. and in the movies The Last Kiss and Jumper.
She is the daughter of Janice, a sex therapist, and Danny Bilson, a writer and director. Rachel’s father is Jewish, from a family that emigrated from Lithuania, Russia, and Poland. Rachel’s mother, who was raised Catholic, is of Italian descent. Rachel has a daughter with her former partner, Canadian-born actor and producer Hayden Christensen.
In less reliable sources, Rachel had often been described as being of “half Filipino and half Latino” descent. This is not accurate.
Rachel’s paternal grandfather was Bruce Bilson, a director (the son of George R. Bilson and Hattie Dratwa). Bruce was born in New York. George Bilson, a director, producer, and screenwriter, was born in England; George’s father, Harris “Harry” Bilson, was a Jewish emigrant to England, from either Kaunas, Lithuania or Russia, while George’s mother, Rachel’s great-great-grandmother Sarah Ettie/Etty/Lewis Rhudiminsky/Ruddaminsky, was born in England, to Russian Jewish parents, Lewis Ber Leyb Rhudiminsky/Ruddaminsky and Fannie/Annie Abraham Harris Vigdolsky. Harris and Sarah later moved to Brooklyn, New York. Rachel’s great-grandmother Hattie Bilson, a screenwriter, was born in New York, the daughter of Abraham Dratwa and Lena Skornik, who were Jewish emigrants from Russia/Poland, with Lena having been born in Kalish.
Rachel’s paternal grandmother was Mona Weichman (the daughter of Frederick Weichman and Zare Sherman). Mona was born in New York. Frederick was born in New York, to Polish Jewish parents, Julius L. Weichman and Sylvia Schwartzman. Zare was born in New York, also to Jewish parents.
Rachel’s maternal grandfather was Alfredo/Alfred Thomas Stango (the son of Antonio/Anthony Stango and Antonetta Patrizio). Alfredo was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents. Antonio and Antonetta were from Castelluccio Valmaggiore, Province of Foggia, Apulia.
Rachel’s maternal grandmother was Ida Marie Justo (the daughter of Raffaele “Ralph” Justo/Guisto and Conchetta/Catherine/Katherine Maria D’uva). Ida was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents.
Sources: Genealogy of Rachel Bilson (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Rachel’s paternal great-grandfather, Frederick Weichman, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Rachel’s maternal grandfather, Alfred Thomas Stango – http://morrisbakerfuneralhomes.frontrunnerpro.com
Obituary of Rachel’s maternal grandmother, Ida Marie (Justo) Stango – http://nl.newsbank.com
She’s cute.
She looks a bit Hispanic.
She’s beautiful! She does have an exotic look to her-
All her paternal grandparents have English surnames, is she part English or did they change their surnames?
“Bilson” (usually “Belson”) can be a Jewish surname. Rachel’s great-great-grandfather, Harris Bilson, was born in Russia or Lithuania (“Harris” was a common first name among Eastern European Jews at the time. It seems to be an adoptation of names like “Hirsch”).
Sarah Lewis was actually born Sarah Lewis Rhudiminsky, to Lewis Ber Leyb Ruddaminsky and Fannie/Annie Abraham Harris Vigdolsky.
http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=pubmembertrees&rank=1&new=1&so=3&tid=&tpid=&ssrc=&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=ms_db&Simple=&hipts=&gsfn=Sarah&gsfn_x=&gsfn_xr=&gsln=Lewis&gsln_x=&gsln_xr=&msbdd=&msbdm=&msbdy=&msbdp=&msbdm_x=&msbdd_x=&msbpn__ftp=&msbpn=&msbpn_PInfo=&msbpn_x=&msbpn__ftp_x=&msddd=&msddm=&msddy=&msddp=&msddm_x=&msddd_x=&msdpn__ftp=&msdpn=&msdpn_PInfo=&msdpn_x=&msdpn__ftp_x=&msgdd=&msgdm=&msgdy=&msgdp=&msgdm_x=&msgdd_x=&msgpn__ftp=&msgpn=&msgpn_PInfo=&msgpn_x=&msgpn__ftp_x=&gskw=Harris+Bilson&uidh=t9h
Since when are Italians not white? I bet they are more white than you!
It’s the mixed Genes. They must of had some recessive Genes in there DNA, and northern Italians are quite white.
not the southern ones?
http://m.luckymag.com/blogs/luckyrightnow/2011/05/the-best-style-advice-rachel-b
There is a picture of Rachel and her mother. Her mother is the more “exotic” of her parents.
she reminds me Julia Roberts
http://www.24blogazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Julia-Roberts-90s-Curly-Hairstyle-299×436.jpg
http://www.itnewslink.com/article.php?id_article=9331
Her father is the second one down.
She clearly looks more like her mother.
Ughh, southern Italians aren’t ‘mixed’…. Don’t know where you got that from. Southern Italians are more tan because they live in a much warmer climate and have for generations. Italians are very racially homogenous. Not ‘mixed’ at all. Put your ridiculous and ignorant stereotypes away and dont feel the need to spread false information.
I agree with you! Southern Italians, just like the rest of Italians and Europeans, are white.