Zach Gilford

Gilford in 2008, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Zachary Michael Gilford

Place of Birth: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 14, 1982

Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*Swedish (mother)

Zach Gilford is an American actor. He has starred on the series Friday Night Lights, Off the Map, The Mob Doctor, Drunk History, The Family, Lifeline, This Close, Good Girls, L.A.’s Finest, Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club, Criminal Minds: Evolution, and The Fall of the House of Usher, in the films The Last Winter, Dare (2009), Post Grad, The River Why, Answers to Nothing, In Our Nature, The Last Stand (2013), Crazy Kind of Love, Devil’s Due, The Purge: Anarchy, and There’s Something Wrong with the Children, and in the music video for “Ours.”

His father is Jewish, of Russian Jewish, Austrian Jewish, and Hungarian Jewish descent. His mother is of Swedish ancestry, and is Lutheran.

He is married to actress Kiele Sanchez, with whom he has a daughter.

Zach’s paternal grandfather was Ronald M. Gilford (the son of Samuel A. Gelford/Gilford and Mildred Harrietta Friedman). Ronald was born in Illinois. Samuel was also born in Illinois, to Russian Jewish parents, Solomon Gilford and Belle. Mildred was born in Illinois, to Jewish emigrants, an Austrian-born father, Ignatz Friedman, and a Hungarian-born mother, Hannah Engel.

Zach’s paternal grandmother was Esther Adele Miller (the daughter of Michael Miller and Sarah Nemsky). Esther was born in Illinois, to Russian Jewish parents.

Zach’s maternal grandfather was Karl Richard Johnson (the son of Charles Theodore Emanuel Johnson and Sigrid Swanson). Karl was born in Illinois. Charles was born in Illinois, to Swedish parents, John S. Johnson and Christina Hawkenson. Zach’s great-grandmother Sigrid was Swedish, the daughter of Nels Swanson and Nilla Person.

Zach’s maternal grandmother was Evelyn Jo Hilander (the daughter of Arthur Conrad Hilander and Julia Augusta Johnson). Evelyn was born in Illinois. Arthur was born in Wisconsin, to Swedish parents, Svenning Magnusson Hilander, from Hestra-Boshuet, Smaland, and Helena Kristina/Christina Carlsson, from Alghult, Hohults, Mellangard. Julia was also Swedish.

Sources: https://www.thedailybeast.com
https://www.littlestones.org

Zach’s paternal grandfather, Ronald M. Gilford, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Zach’s paternal grandfather, Ronald M. Gilford – https://www.juf.org

Zach’s paternal grandmother, Esther Adele Miller, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Zach’s paternal grandmother, Esther Adele (Miller) Gilford – https://www.dignitymemorial.com

Zach’s maternal grandfather, Karl Richard Johnson, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Zach’s mother (focusing on her mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Zach’s maternal grandmother, Evelyn Jo Hilander, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Zach’s maternal grandmother, Evelyn Jo (Hilander) Johnson Beierwaltes – http://articles.chicagotribune.com