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Grande in 2011, s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Ariana Grande-Butera
Place of Birth: Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.
Date of Birth: June 26, 1993
Ethnicity: Italian [including Sicilian]
Ariana Grande is an American singer and actress. Her songs include “The Way,” “Problem,” “Break Free,” “Bang Bang,” “Love Me Harder,” “Focus,” “Dangerous Woman,” “Side to Side,” “No Tears Left to Cry,” “God Is a Woman,” “Thank U, Next,” “7 Rings,” “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored,” “Boyfriend,” “Stuck with U,” “Rain on Me,” “Positions,” “Save Your Tears,” and “Die for You.” Her roles include the shows Victorious , Winx Club , Sam & Cat , Scream Queens , and Ariana Grande: Dangerous Woman Diaries ; the made-for-tv movie Swindle (2013); the specials Hairspray Live! and A Very Wicked Halloween ; and the films Snowflake, the White Gorilla ; Underdogs (2016), Ariana Grande: Excuse Me, I Love You ; Don’t Look Up , Wicked (2024), and Wicked: For Good .
Her mother, Joan Grande, has been CEO of the family firm, a manufacturer of communications and safety equipment. Her father, Edward Butera, owns a graphic design firm. Her parents are of Italian descent. She stated on her Twitter account that she is of half Sicilian and half Abruzzese Italian ancestry, though her maternal roots are heavily Lucanian. Her maternal half-brother, Frankie Grande , is an actor, dancer, and musician. A picture of Ariana’s father can be seen here , and a picture of some of her father’s family can be seen here . A picture of Ariana’s mother can be seen here . A picture of Ariana’s paternal grandfather can be seen here , and a picture of Ariana with her maternal grandparents can be seen here .
Ariana’s patrilineal line can be traced to Stefano Butera, who was born, c. 1745, in Menfi, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, the son of Ignazio Butera and Leonarda La Rosa.
Ariana’s paternal grandfather was Anthony Vincent Charles Butera (the son of Carlos/Charles Antonio Butera and Marie/Mary/Maria Passalaqua/Passalacqua). Anthony was born in New Jersey. Ariana’s great-grandfather Charles was born in New Jersey, to Italian parents, Antonino/Antonio Butera and Magherita/Margherita Spatazza Azzara/Azzala, from Menfi, Provincia di Agrigento, Sicily. Ariana’s great-grandmother Marie was Italian, from Paceco, Trapani, Sicily, the daughter of Vincenzo Passalacqua and Brigida Di Girolamo. The surname Butera is Sicilian.
Ariana’s paternal grandmother was Florence P. Citrano (the daughter of Giuseppe Girolamo “Joseph” Citrano and Helen A. Stickles). Florence was born in Newark, New Jersey. Giuseppe was born in New York, to Italian parents, Leonardo Citrano and Carmela/Filomena Ferraro/Ferrara, who were from Petralia Soprana, Palermo, Sicily. It is not clear whether Helen had Italian ancestry.
Ariana’s maternal grandfather was Frank Anthony Grande (the son of Antonio/Angelantonio “Anthony” Grande and Filomena/Felmino “Philomena”/”Phyllis” Iavenditti/Lavenditti). Frank was born in New York, to Italian parents, from Gildone, Provincia di Campobasso, Molise. Ariana’s great-grandfather Antonio was the son of Michelangelo Grande and Concetta Zappone. Ariana’s great-grandmother Filomena was the daughter of Francesco Iavenditti/Lavenditti/La Venditti and Benedetta Perrotti.
Ariana’s maternal grandmother was Marjorie M. Damico/D’Amico (the daughter of Giovanni/John Viovanni Damico/D’Amico and Felomina/Filomena F. “Minnie” Gigante). Marjorie was born in New York, to Italian parents, with roots in San Fele, Potenza, Basilicata.
Grande in 2013, photo by Prphotos.com
Ariana also once tweeted that she “just found out my grandparents are heavily greek and part north African,” and then specified “…the chart says Greece/Italy. I just thought it was funny. I’m assuming the North African bit is Moroccan or Tunisia?” Ariana’s reference to “the chart” makes it likely that she took a DNA test to map out her heritage. DNA tests for people of Sicilian descent sometimes indicate Greek or North African ancestry.
Sources: Genealogies of Ariana Grande – https://www.geni.com https://2.bp.blogspot.com https://www.reddit.com
Ariana’s paternal grandfather, Anthony Vincent Charles Butera, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Ariana’s paternal grandmother, Florence P. (Citrano) Butera – https://www.obrienfuneralhome.com
History of Ariana’s maternal grandparents, Frank Anthony Grande and Marjorie M. Damico/D’Amico – https://www.youtube.com
Grande’s half-brother, Frankie Grande, 2008, photo by Prphotos.com