Profile Text
Paolo in 2014, photo by prphotos
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 11, 1990
Ethnicity: * father – Italian, Irish * mother – Ashkenazi Jewish
Connor Paolo is an American actor. His roles include the films Alexander (2004), World Trade Center (2006), Snow Angels , Camp Hell , Stake Land , and its sequel; Friend Request , and Distancing Socially , and television’s One Life to Live , Gossip Girl , and Revenge .
He is the son of Colin Paolo, a writer, and Julia Mendelsohn, a voice teacher. Connor’s father’s family also uses the surname Pahlow. Connor’s father is of half Italian and half Irish descent. Connor’s mother is Jewish, of Russian Jewish, German Jewish, Polish Jewish, and Hungarian Jewish descent. Connor participated in the Birthright Israel program.
Connor’s paternal grandfather was Dr. Joseph Dominick Pahlow (born Joseph Dominick Paolo, the son of Domenico “Dominick” Paolo and Maria Concetta Strazzera). Joseph was born in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. Domenico was an Italian emigrant, from Calabria. Maria was born in Pennsylvania, also to Italian parents, Giosaffatto Antonio “Joseph” Strazzera, from L’Aquila, Abruzzo; and Domenica “Sunday” Villela.
Connor’s paternal grandmother was Constance Mary Pierce (the daughter of Joseph L. Pierce and Louisa F. Cronin). Constance was born in New York. Joseph was the son of Simon S. Pierce, who was born in Louisiana, to Irish immigrants; and of Margaret Hanlon, who was born in New Jersey, also to Irish parents. Louisa was the daughter of Irish immigrants, Cornelius James Cronin and Mary Frances Farrell.
Connor’s maternal grandfather was Raymond H. Mendelsohn (the son of Arthur Mendelsohn and May/Mae Hirshfield). Raymond was born in New Jersey. Arthur was the son of Russian Jewish parents, Max Mendelsohn and Edith Cohen. May was born in New York, the daughter of Jacob Hirshfield, who was born in Canada, to German Jewish parents, and of Annie/Anna/Ann Liberstein, who was born in New York, to Polish Jewish parents.
Connor’s maternal grandmother is Violet Fixler (the daughter of Salamon/Solomon Liepschitz Fixler and Gizella/Gizela Stern). Violet was born in Hungary, to a Jewish family, from Kisvárda, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg. Her family moved to the U.S. in the 1930s. Salamon was born in Gemzse, Tisza, Szabolcs, Hungary, the son of Abraham Liepschitz and Mari Margita Fikszler/Frichter/Fuxler/Fixler. Gizella was born in Kisvárda, the daughter of Samuel Stern.
Sources: Genealogy of Connor Paolo – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Connor’s paternal grandfather, Dr. Joseph Dominick Pahlow – https://www.riggsfuneralhome.com
Obituary of Connor’s paternal grandmother, Constance Mary (Pierce) Pahlow – https://www.legacy.com
Connor’s maternal grandfather, Raymond H. Mendelsohn, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Connor’s maternal great-grandparents, Arthur Mendelsohn and May/Mae Hirshfield – https://familysearch.org
Connor’s maternal great-grandmother, May/Mae Hirshfield, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org May/Mae Hirshfield on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Connor’s maternal grandmother, Violet Fixler, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org