Zendaya
Zendaya in 2013, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman
Place of Birth: Oakland, California, U.S.
Date of Birth: September 1, 1996
Ethnicity:
*father – African-American
*mother – German, Scottish, Irish, Northern Irish, English
Zendaya, also credited as Zendaya Coleman, is an American actress, singer, dancer, and model. She has starred in the films Spider-Man: Homecoming, and its sequels; The Greatest Showman, Duck Duck Goose, Smallfoot, Malcolm & Marie, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Dune (2021), and its sequel; and Challengers; on the series Shake It Up, K.C. Undercover, The OA, and Euphoria; and in the made-for-tv movies Frenemies and Zapped. Her recorded songs include “Swag It Out,” “Watch Me,” “Replay,” and “Rewrite the Stars.”
Her father, Kazembe Ajamu (born Samuel David Coleman), is African-American, from a family from Arkansas. Her mother, Claire Marie (Stoermer), who is white, has German, Scottish, Irish, Northern Irish, and English ancestry. Her parents are teachers. Her name, Zendaya, comes from the word Tendai/Tendayi, which means “to give thanks” in Shona, a Southwestern African language common in Zimbabwe and southern Zambia. There appears to be a rumour that Zendaya’s father is from Nigeria. This is not accurate.
She has said:
I just went to Africa and I learned so much about things I had no idea about or wasn’t aware of. And I think as an African American person, there’s a disconnect that we’re actually from Africa. We don’t think about it as much as we should and we’re not as connected to our roots. Partially, it’s not our fault, but now that we have the resources and the ability to find out where we’re from, we should…
Zendaya’s paternal grandfather was Robert Lee Coleman (the son of John Coleman and Ruby Taylor). Robert was born in Arkansas.
Zendaya’s paternal grandmother was Mildred Newton (the daughter of Samuel Douglas Newton and Rotella Merritt). Mildred was born in Arkansas. Samuel was the son of Isaac Newton and Readie Lacy. Rotella was the daughter of James Quincy Merritt and Sarah McGuire.
Zendaya’s maternal grandfather was Phillip Hilary Stoermer (the son of Fritz Hillary/Hilary Stoermer and Marian Elizabeth Peir). Phillip was born in California. Fritz was the son of Henry Stoermer, whose father was German; and of Etta Tyler Fritz. Marian was the daughter of Alois Henry Peir, whose father was born in Bohemia, and whose mother was born in England, to German parents; and of Kathyrn Gertrude Leahy/Leady, whose grandparents were all Irish.
Zendaya’s maternal grandmother was Daphne Carol Whitelaw (the daughter of Douglas William Walker Whitelaw and Thelma Ray Kelly). Daphne was from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Douglas was born in Dundee, Scotland, the son of Harry/Henry Tulloch Whitelaw and Agnes Drummond. Thelma was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the daughter of Joseph/John William Kelly, from Waterloo, Ontario, and whose own parents were Irish; and of Ella Sparling, from Huron, Ontario, who had three grandparents born in Ireland. The Kelly family was Presbyterian.
Zendaya with her parents, 2013, photo by Prphotos
Sources: Video of Zendaya and her parents talking about their ancestry – http://www.usmagazine.com
Genealogy of Zendaya – https://gw.geneanet.org
Genealogies of Zendaya (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://gw.geneanet.org
https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Zendaya’s maternal grandfather, Phillip Hilary Stoermer – http://nl.newsbank.com
Zendaya’s maternal great-grandfather, Fritz Hillary/Hilary Stoermer, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Zendaya’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Henry Stoermer, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Zendaya’s maternal great-great-great-grandmother, Ellen Grandona, on the 1860 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Zendaya’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Etta Tyler Fritz, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
I like fair to light skinned mixed people,so I have no problem with zendaya skin tone just that I wish she inherited Caucasian features not her dads afro features,… she’s cute.
She wouldn’t even touch you with a a dirty stick why would you care?
She doesn’t give a —- what Caucasian features you want her to have you colorist idiot. You wouldn’t have a chance with her anyway
@ follers
I think she has some distant Italian ancestry from Ellen Grandona. “Grandona” is definitely an Italian surname.
I don’t know. Ellen was born in Mississippi around 1841, and her own mother was from the British Isles. Something strange is going on with that surname.
yeah, her mother is listed as English-born. Is this the same woman?
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4N6-CGM
Yes.
Her dad is African American, but to those saying he’s Ghanaian, are mistaken. With a name like Kazembe, I’d say he’s Southern African, because the name Kazembe is a surname found in Malawi, Zambia & Zimbabwe, it means ‘diplomat’ or ‘ambassador’
Or you could always read the text written here and find out.
Lol
is she the guy with the dreads? or the guy in the raiders jacket?
For those that keep saying she must have some typa asian in her. understand that her dad is black small eyes and her mom is white. This combo will give her small eyes due to her dad’s eyes and her being biracial. I know a girl that looks native American as hell but her dad was khoixan south African (I hope I’m spelling it right lol) and her mom is dutch. This south African group are known for having extreamly small eyes but they’re not mixed just pure south African. People like nelson mandela who is from this ethnic group can pass as blasian or black and native American but he’s just from this ethnic group. so just because her eyes are small and her cheekbones are full doesn’t mean she has any asian or native in her because you’ll find blacks with these same features.
Did you know that AA have bushman DNA? Atleast that’s what I’m seeing in people’s results
Her Dad doesn’t look at all like South African blacks who are typically brown/tan/yellowish skinned with ‘small eyes’ (e.g. Xhosian).
I suspect she’s adopted. A child of a couple like that would look blacker than she does. It’s possible but I doubt it; she looks part East Asian, or possibly a Latin-American black/white/Amerindian mixed race type.
@ectag
Quote:
(Her Dad doesn’t look at all like South African blacks who are typically brown/tan/yellowish skinned with ‘small eyes’ (e.g. Xhosian).
In South Africa Jet black skin is just as common as brown/tan/yellowish skinned . Not everyone is mixed with white or has small eye like the Xhosian
Quote:
( A child of a couple like that would look blacker than she does.)
Come on, not you to. I’ve already proven that not to be true
Not all black South Africans are Khoisan. That is just one tribe.
The average black/white biracial comes out Zendaya’s color.
No the average BW biracial/mixed race person comes out in any shade ranging from dark to pale based off of which gene was most dominate during insemination.Even if you compare zendaya to other light skinned biracial,you can definitely see a difference,as she inherited her dads afro features while some have caucasian features.there’s no fixed mixed look.