Troian Bellisario
Bellisario in 2011, Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Troian Avery Bellisario
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: October 28, 1985
Ethnicity:
*father – Italian, Serbian
*mother – African-American, Louisiana Creole [African, French, English]
Troian Bellisario is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing Spencer Hastings on the series Pretty Little Liars.
Her father, Donald Bellisario, is a television producer and screenwriter. Her mother, Deborah Pratt, is an actress, novelist, and television producer. Her half-brother is actor Michael Bellisario. Troian is married to Canadian actor Patrick J. Adams, with whom she has two children.
Troian’s father is of Italian and Serbian descent. Troian’s maternal grandparents were both African-American and/or Louisiana Creole; of African-American and European, including French and English, descent. About her name, “Troian,” she has said, “It’s a family name. It was a surname on my father’s maternal side. It means “woman of Troy.”” The surname “Troian” exists in North Italy.
Troian’s father is pictured here. Troian’s mother is pictured here.
Her step-siblings are actor Sean Murray and producer Chad W. Murray.
Troian’s paternal grandfather was Albert Jethro Bellisario (the son of Giuseppe/Guiseppe “Joseph” Bellisario and Maria Luigia/Luiga Troian). Albert was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents. Giuseppe was born in Gamberale, Province of Chieti, Abruzzo, the son of Antonio Bellisario and Teresa Domenica D’Angelo/D’Andrea. Maria was born in Sospirolo, Belluno, Veneto, the daughter of Antonio Troian and Agata De Zanet.
Troian’s paternal grandmother was Dana Lapčević (the daughter of Samuel Paul Lapčević and Anna J. Dobrich). Dana was born in Pennsylvania, to Serbian parents. Anna was born in Kovacevac.
Troian’s maternal grandfather was Col. Bertram Roberson Pratt (the son of Richard Edward Pratt and Theresa Cecilia/Cecelia Coates/Coats). Bertram was born in Alabama. His family was from Mobile in that state. Bertram and his parents were both black. They are listed as either “Mulatto” (mixed race) or “Negro” (black) on U.S. Censuses. Richard was the son of Major Lankford and Priscilla Tartt. Theresa was the daughter of William Coates and Elizabeth Whitehead.
Troian’s maternal grandmother was Geraldine Marion Bryant (the daughter of Lincoln Joseph Bryant and Mabel Avery). Geraldine was born in Louisiana. Lincoln and Mabel were both black. Lincoln was born in Louisiana, the son of Aismene/Andrew Joseph Bryant and Camille Dunn/Decuir. Mabel was born in Louisiana, the daughter of Lavina/Lavinia Goeffney/Gafney, and, evidently, of a white man named John Leeds Avery. U.S. censuses list Lincoln and both of his parents as “Mulatto” (mixed race) or “Negro” (black), and Mabel as “Negro” (black).
Sources: Genealogies of Troian Bellisario – http://gw.geneanet.org
http://www.wikitree.com
https://www.geni.com
Obituaries of Troian’s paternal grandparents, Albert Jethro Bellisario and Dana (Lapčević) Bellisario – http://www.findagrave.com
Death record of Troian’s paternal great-grandfather, Giuseppe/Guiseppe “Joseph” Bellisario – https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com
Marriage announcement of Troian’s maternal grandparents, Col. Bertram Roberson Pratt and Geraldine Marion Bryant – http://www.newspapers.com
Troian’s maternal grandfather, Col. Bertram Roberson Pratt, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Col. Bertram Roberson Pratt, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Troian’s maternal grandfather, Col. Bertram Roberson Pratt – http://articles.chicagotribune.com
Troian’s maternal grandmother, Geraldine Marion Bryant, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Troian’s maternal great-grandfather, Lincoln Joseph Bryant, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Lincoln Joseph Bryant on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
she’s fully white and she could pass for southeastern european or italian.
Yes, if you ignore the fact that she isn’t fully white then yes, she is fully white.
I’d never guess she is half-black. I mean, she even got the typically European straight, hazel hair. Most mulattos would at least inherit their black parent’s hair color and texture, if not the complexion.
That is not always the case. Mr. Jessica Alba, Cash Warren and jazz great guitarist, Kenny Burrell look “white” but identify their African American heritage.
Haha that’s hilarious, Cash Warren doesn’t look anything close to white. I thought he was Mexican, he looks Mexican.
Not even close to be genetically half black, being her mom of mixed background
Her maternal grandmother is of mixed (Creole) background, while the maternal grandfather is pure black. Or, well, so the biography says.
Her “darker white” complexion is likely to also result from the father’s line. Most Italians and, especially, Serbs resemble her in terms of hair and eye color and skin tan.
These are her parents.
https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/donaldbellisario02_20110428152834.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4001887744/nm0695445?ref_=nm_ov_ph
Her mother is prettier than her.
P.S., her maternal grandfather and other African-Americans are almost never “pure black”.
Technically, I guess it’s possible to have black ancestry and still appear light tanned. Jona Ustinov, Peter Ustinov’s father, was of relatively close African ancestry, and yet he had platinum blonde hair and green eyes.
Then again, when your African ancestry is as close as a 2nd or 3rd generation, it makes a difference in appearance. Hence the fact that Troian can’t have any lighter complexion than this. That’s also why A.S. Pushkin, the Russian Romanticist poet, appeared significantly darker than other Russians, his great-grandfather being an Ethiopian-born servant.
A person inherits the genes, characteristics, and looks, of the most present/ dominant ancestry in his/ her family tree. In terms of European peoples as of today, though, it no longer makes much of a difference – we are all mixed up.
Of what heritage is her fiance (husband-to-be), Patrick J. Adams? I happen to know that his father, the journalist Claude Adams, is of German ancestry.
Canadian genealogy is hard.
Never would have guessed she had Black in her. She looks a little Filipina. Black genes can blend in with other races too.
She looks 100% European to me.
Her eye shape give a Serbian vibe and mostly she looks Italian.