Profile Text
Birth Name: Adrianne Elizabeth Lenker
Place of Birth: Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 9, 1991
Ethnicity: English, German, one quarter Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Hungarian, Dutch, Belgian Flemish, Scottish, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Swiss, distant Welsh and Finnish
Adrianne Lenker is an American musician. She is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and principal songwriter of indie folk band Big Thief.
She grew up in a Christian cult until the age of four. She was raised mostly in Minnesota.
Adrianne’s paternal grandfather was John Cleat Lenker (the son of Fritz Karl Lenker and Hazel Gertrude Nelms). John was born in Owatonna, Minnesota. Fritz was born in Kueps, Bayern, Germany, the son of Heinrich Lenker and Anna Schwemmlein. Adrianne’s great-grandmother Hazel was born in Rushing, Arkansas, the daughter of Steve Luke Nelms and Icie Jane Lyday.
Adrianne’s paternal grandmother was Bonnie Jo Tuthill (the daughter of John Douglas Tuthill and Joan Audrey Sybilrud). Bonnie was born in Owatonna, Minnesota. John was the son of John Robert Tuthill, whose maternal grandmother was German; and of Beatrice Maude Bigelow, whose mother was German. Adrianne’s great-grandmother Joan was the daughter of Albert A. Sybilrud, whose father was born in Hurdal, Akershus, Norway, and whose maternal grandparents were also Norwegian; and of Matilda Serene Olson, whose parents were Norwegian.
Adrianne’s maternal grandfather was Dennis John Lee (the son of Raymond Alfred Lee and Genevieve Patricia Marcio). Dennis was born in Minneapolis. Raymond was born in Wisconsin, the son of Alfred Sigurd Lee Raymond, whose father was born in Voss, Hordaland, Norway, and whose maternal grandparents were also Norwegian; and of Cora M. Doriott, whose paternal grandparents were from Bavaria, Germany. Adrianne’s great-grandmother Genevieve was born in Minnesota, the daughter of Andrew John Frank Marcio, who was Hungarian; and of Jennie O. Gustafson, whose parents were Swedish.
Adrianne’s maternal grandmother was Diane Rea Archibald (the daughter of Robert Eugene Archibald and Violet Carrian Lilly Olson). Diane was born in Ramsey, Minnesota. Robert was born in Montana, the son of Eugene Leslie Archibald, whose father, and maternal grandfather, were Canadian; and of Philomene Varsnick, whose father was born in Westkapelle, West Flanders, Belgium, and whose mother was born in Megen, North Brabant, Netherlands. Adrianne’s great-grandmother Violet was born in Minnesota, the daughter of Thomas Harold Olson, whose parents were born in Denmark, with partial Swedish roots on her own mother’s side; and of Anna Sveund, whose parents were Norwegian.
Source: Obituary of Adrianne’s paternal great-uncle (grandmother’s brother) – https://www.parkerkohlfuneralhome.com