Steven Seagal
Seagal in 2003, photo by Denis Makarenko/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Steven Frederic Seagal
Place of Birth: Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 10, 1952
Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – English, German, distant Irish and Dutch
Steven Seagal is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, martial artist, and musician. An action star beginning in the late 1980s, his roles include Above the Law, Hard to Kill, Under Siege, and Executive Decision.
Steven is the son of Patricia Anne (Fisher) and Samuel Seagal. Steven’s father was born in Rhode Island, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants; he was born with the surname Siegelman, later changing it to Seagal. Steven’s mother was born in Michigan, and was of English, German, and distant Irish and Dutch, descent.
Steven was born in Lansing, Michigan, and grew up in Fullerton, California, where he first learned martial arts. He lived in Japan for a number of years, and speaks Japanese fluently. Steven was granted Serbian and Russian citizenship in 2016. He has been appointed Russia’s special envoy to the U.S.
He is married to Erdenetuya Batsukh, who is from Mongolia. Steven is a devout Buddhist. He has seven children; including two, actor and model Kentaro Seagal and writer and actress Ayako Fujitani, with his former wife, Japanese-born aikido master Miyako Fujitani; three with his former wife, actress and model Kelly LeBrock; and a son with Erdenetuya. Ayako is married to Spanish screenwriter Javier Gullón.
Steven’s paternal grandfather was named Nathan Seagal (originally Nathan Siegelman, the son of Paul Siegelman and Ida). Nathan was Jewish, and was born in Babruysk, now in Belarus.
Steven’s paternal grandmother was Dora Goldstein (the daughter of Jacob Goldstein and Rachel Geldgesen). Dora was a Russian Jewish immigrant.
Steven’s maternal grandfather was Frederick/Fred Joseph Fisher (the son of Otis Lewis Fisher and Ida Harmon). Frederick was born in Michigan. Otis was born in Michigan, the son of Japhet Fisher and Maria Williams. Ida was born in New York, to German parents, Johann Friedrich Christian/Christopher Herrmann/Harmon and Amelia/Minne Augrin/Ingram.
Steven’s maternal grandmother was Lanah Irene Lewis (the daughter of Clarence Lemuel Lewis and Mary Almira Bidelman). Lanah was born in Michigan. Clarence was the son of Lemuel Lewis and Mary Melissa Meloy. Steven’s great-grandmother Mary was the daughter of Charles Parker Bidelman and Mary Lorana Thorn.
Steven is sometimes described as, and/or has described himself as, having Native American and/or Italian ancestry. These claims are not accurate. In one interview with a Russian outlet, Steven stated (see quote below) that his grandfather was either of Kalmyk or Buryat descent. This statement is not accurate. Steven’s grandfather, Nathan Siegelman/Seagal, was a Yiddish-speaking Russian Jewish immigrant.
When the war began in America from Russian Buddhist Republics moved immigrants, and among them was my grandfather. We do not know whether he was a Kalmyk and Buryat… As a child, I just said – “He was a Mongol,” and now there is nobody to ask. Anyone who might know the answer to this question is already gone… Perhaps I Kalmyk. I look like a Kalmyk?
Sources: Genealogy of Steven Seagal – https://www.geni.com
Steven’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Steven’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Steven’s maternal grandfather, Frederick/Fred Joseph Fisher, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Steven’s maternal great-grandparents, Otis Lewis Fisher and Ida Harmon, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Russian interview with Steven Seagal, 2007, where he states that he had a Mongolian grandfather – http://savetibet.ru
I know, why Ralf SIEGEL wrote his tschingischan song.
He’s a “monol”, too. (D)
Only a “mongoloid” can believe, that Siegelman and
Goldstein are mongolian, kalmyk or russian names
Buryat or Kalmyk descent? Mein Gott they should be proud of having such a famous celeb as a member of their tribe haha u r kidding me … Jewish is more likely (considering his surname) but Irish is definitely irrelevant
What do you mean Irish is irrelevant. That is half his ancestry.
Well, he looks a bit Mongolian and he has 100% Jewish surname (although he calls himself Russian plus he curses in Russian) but hes never claimed to feel proud of his Irish roots or at least support Irish community, being involved into their culture or having Irish friends. Hes not even Catholic (& I guess never been) which is very odd for a typical Irish guy. He has always embraced his Russian (Jewish) and Mongolian descent but never Irish. He frequently visits mother Russia but hes never been 2 Ireland yet, makes sense, huh? He has no Irish influence at all (as well as no Irish accent which is weird too). Moreover none of his wives were Irish(?). If u said half-Russian it would have been a lot more appropriate)) btw his current wife speaks Russian fluently! Any1 disagree?
He’s not a “typical Irish guy”. He’s an American with Irish ancestry. Half his ancestry is Irish though so it is not irrelevant. What has your ancestry got to do with who you marry? How would he have an Irish accent when he’s an American? If you have Chinese ancestry and live in America, speak English and marry a Russian that does not change the fact that you have Chinese ancestry.
Many Irish aren’t Catholic by the way. Bono from U2 isn’t a Catholic.
U are totally wrong bout Bono. He was raised Catholic.
http://hollowverse.com/bono/
One of his parents was Anglican and one was Catholic. He was raised in both religions so I guess he has had Catholic influence. I’m just trying to show you don’t necessarily have to be Catholic to be Irish.
Bono told, his mother is irish protestant minority.
Back to Seagal: I think, his parents were atheists.
I read, his mother was abandoned as baby, but she’s
concidered as irish
I ment Seagal, not Bono
I clicked accidentelly “agree”, but you are wrong. “none of his wifes were irish” And russian? He prefers
asian or asian-looking women.He visited Russia, and didn’t visited Ireland just because russia is a very large country and he can better sell his movies. He’s just a businessman. His current wife speaks russian, cur
she’s from Mongolia, and must to study russian at
scholl, like in other communist countries
“I suspect”. Sorry, you sounds like Marc. What to you
mean, his father “bought documents”?
Seagal or Siegel can’t be only a jewish name (Affelay).
And never russian, mongol or some “kalmyk”
Smb knows, what’s “Kalmyk”?
Kalmyk ppl originally come from a multinational country called mother Russia:) They are usually described as Mongolians or simply Asians. They mostly have Russian-sounding family names (although majority of ’em are Buddhists). They are not so rare though. For example a famous French footballer Yuri Djorkaeff has a Kalmyk grandfather.
He said that he had Russian heritage. He never mentioned that he was partial Jewish, I read this for the first time(no offense).
he’s ashamed of jewish heritage, but really, do you think,
“Seagal” is a russian name? It’s a Jewish name, no doubt.
Well, at least he has 100% Jewish surname therefore he doesnt seem Russian 2 me, buddy))
Of course, his grandfather was Jewish, not Mongolian. “Seagal” ia a Mongolian name?