Téa Leoni

Leoni in 2009, image via Prphotos

Birth Name: Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: February 25, 1966

Ethnicity: Polish (one quarter), 1/16th Italian, German, Irish, English, Scottish, Welsh

Téa Leoni is an American actress and producer. She has starred in the films Switch (1991), A League of Their Own, Wyatt Earp (1994), Bad Boys (1995), Flirting with Disaster, Deep Impact, The Family Man, Jurassic Park III, People I Know, Hollywood Ending, House of D, Spanglish, Fun with Dick and Jane (2005), You Kill Me, Ghost Town, The Smell of Success, and Tower Heist, and on the shows Santa Barbara, Flying Blind, The Naked Truth, and Madam Secretary.

Téa is the daughter of Emily Ann (Patterson), a dietician and nutritionist, and Anthony Pantaleoni, a corporate lawyer. Her father is of one half Polish, one eighth Italian, one eighth German, one eighth Irish, and one eighth other British Isles, ancestry. Téa’s mother was from a Texan family, and has English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry.

Téa has two children, including actress West Duchovny, with her former husband, actor and filmmaker David Duchovny.

Téa’s paternal grandfather was Guido Pantaleoni (the son of Guido Pantaleoni and Ellen Morton Colladay). Téa’s grandfather Guido was born in Missouri. Téa’s great-grandfather Guido was an Italian emigrant, born in Macerata, Marche, Italy. His father, Téa’s great-great-grandfather Diomede Pantaleoni, who was in the Italian Senate, was the son of Pantaleone Pantaleoni, a lawyer, and of Marianna Petrucci. His mother, Téa’s great-great-grandmother Lady Jane Isabella Massy Dawson, a British woman, was of Irish descent, from Tipperary. Tea’s great-grandfather Guido’s brother, Maffeo Panteloni, was a prominent economist. Tea’s great-grandmother Ellen was American, the daughter of Samuel Rittenhouse/Rakestraw Colladay, who was of German descent, and of Sarah “Sallie” Burton Harrison, who had British Isles ancestry.

Téa’s paternal grandmother was Helen Tradusa “Helenka” Adamowska (the daughter of Józef/Joseph Adamowski and Antonina/Antoinette Szumanowska/Szumowska). Helen was born in Massachusetts, and was an actress and humanitarian, who co-founded the US Fund for UNICEF in 1947. Józef and Antonina were Polish-born musicians. Józef was the son of Wincenty Adamowski.

Téa’s mother was adopted by Virgil Pearson Patterson (born in Texas, the son of Greene Davis Patterson and Mary Isabel Newton) and Florry Elizabeth Roberts (born in Texas, the daughter of Edwin McKay Roberts and Emily West Simpson).

On the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2017), Téa discovered the identities of her biological maternal grandparents, through a combination of DNA testing and genealogical research.

Téa’s biological maternal grandfather was Sumpter James Daniel (the son of Sumpter S. Daniel and Lottie/Loddie S. Hayes). Téa’s biological grandfather Sumpter was born in Vick, Avoyelles, Louisiana. Téa’s biological great-grandfather Sumpter was the son of James Allen Daniel and Jeanette Irving. Lottie was the daughter of Jefferson August/Augustin Hayes and Frances “Fannie” Shannon.

Téa’s biological maternal grandmother was Abilene “Abbie” Gindratt (the daughter of Henry I. Gindratt and Ruth Irene Franklin). Abilene was born in Zwolle, Sabine, Texas. Henry was the son of David Shelton Gindratt and Frances Scott Sutton. Ruth was the daughter of Benjamin Young Franklin and Karon/Keron “Kate” Abiline/Abaline/Abalene Maxwell Cook. Téa’s four times great-grandfather was evidently John Gindrat, an early mayor of Montgomery, Alabama.

Téa’s biological maternal grandparents likely met while they were working in the small town Elizabeth, Texas.

Leoni in 2011, image via Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Sources: Genealogy of Téa Leoni – https://www.geni.com

Téa’s paternal great-grandfather, Guido Pantaleoni – http://www.findagrave.com

Téa’s paternal great-grandparents, Józef/Joseph Adamowski and Antonina/Antoinette Szumanowska/Szumowska, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org