Winona Ryder

Ryder in 2011, DFree / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Winona Horowitz

Place of Birth: Olmsted, Minnesota, United States

Date of Birth: October 29, 1971

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – Norwegian (one quarter), Belgian Walloon, German, Irish/Northern Irish, English, Scottish

Winona Ryder is an American actress. She is known for starring in the films Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Mermaids, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Little Women (1994), The Crucible (1996), Alien Resurrection, Autumn in New York, Lost Souls (2000), A Scanner Darkly, Black Swan, and Destination Wedding (2018), and on the show Stranger Things.

Winona was given her first name after a city near her hometown, in Minnesota. She is the daughter of Cynthia V. (née Istas), an author, video producer, and editor, and Michael D. Horowitz, an author and archivist. Her father is Jewish; his family emigrated from Romania, Russia, and Belarus. Many of her father’s relatives died in the Holocaust. Winona’s mother’s maiden name, Istas, is found in Belgium. Winona’s mother is of Norwegian (one quarter), Belgian Walloon, German, Irish/Northern Irish, English, and Scottish descent.

Winona’s father is an atheist and Winona’s mother is a Buddhist. Winona has identified herself as Jewish, at least in an ethnic sense.

Winona’s paternal grandfather was Sol Horowitz (the son of Louis Jorge Tomchin and Mary Yetta Friedland). Sol was born in Minsk, Belarus, to Jewish parents. His family’s surname was changed from Tomchin to Horowitz. Louis was the son of Leib Tomchin.

Winona’s paternal grandmother was Ethel Frankel (the daughter of Joseph Frankel and Bertha Yuffe). Ethel was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Romanian Jewish parents, from Botoșani. Joseph was the son of Aaron Frankel and Gitza Rivka Godel. Bertha was the daughter of Avram Yuffe and Perla Weidenfeld.

Winona’s maternal grandfather was Everett Frank Istas (the son of William Paul Istas and Edna Frances Bennett). Everett was born in Shawno, Wisconsin. William was born in Wisconsin, the son of a Belgian father, Frank Alphonsius Istas, who had at least partial Walloon ancestry, and of a mother, Ida Zachou/Zachow, who was born in Wisconsin, to German parents, from Parchim, Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Winona’s great-grandmother Edna was born in Collingwood, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of English parents, Eli Brian Bennett, from Winchester, Hampshire, and Frances Maria/Myva Halfred/Halford, from Ross, Herefordshire.

Winona’s maternal grandmother was Margaret Ford Colter (the daughter of Roy Baron Colter and Lillian G. Lindem). Margaret was born in Illinois. Roy was born in Douglas, York, New Brunswick, the son of James Colter, whose parents were from County Leitrim, Ireland; and of Victoria Long. Lillian was born in Wisconsin, the daughter of Johan/John Anton Linden, who was Norwegian, and of Isabella/Isabelle/Belle Helen Thompson, whose parents were also Norwegian.

Sources: Interview with Winona Ryder about her Jewish background – https://jewishjournal.com

Genealogies of Winona Ryder – http://www.geni.com
https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Winona’s maternal grandfather, Everett Frank Istas – https://www.findagrave.com

Winona’s maternal grandfather, Everett Frank Istas, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Winona’s maternal grandfather, Everett Frank Istas – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Winona’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Ida (Zachou/Zachow) Istas – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Winona’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Johan/John Anton Linden and Isabella/Isabelle/Belle Helen Thompson – https://www.familysearch.org