Profile Text
Groff in 2009, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Jonathan Drew Groff
Place of Birth: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Birth: March 26, 1985
Ethnicity: German, some Swiss-German, and a smaller amount of English and Scottish
Jonathan Groff is an American actor and singer.
He is the son of Julie, a physical education teacher, and Jim Groff, a harness horse trainer and driver. He is a first cousin of singer James Wolpert, a semi-finalist on the fifth season of The Voice . Jonathan’s mother and James’s mother are sisters.
Most of Jonathan’s ancestry is German, with some Swiss-German, and smaller amounts of English and Scottish. Most of his family were from the Pennsylvania Dutch [ethnic Germans in Pennsylvania] community, and Jonathan thus has deep roots in Pennsylvania. He descends largely from Mennonite ancestors, although he himself was raised Methodist.
Jonathan’s paternal grandfather was John Wade Groff (the son of Earl Leroy Groff and Helen Eby Garber). Jonathan’s grandfather J. Wade was born in Pennsylvania, and was a Mennonite minister. Earl was the son of Enos H. Groff and Martha E. Brubaker. Helen was the daughter of Simon Erb Garber and Fannie Frank Eby.
Jonathan’s paternal grandmother was Evelyn Herr Metzler (the daughter of Harvey Metzler and Bertha Mae Herr). Evelyn was born in Pennsylvania. Harvey was the daughter of Henry Burkholder Metzler and Amanda Rife/Reiff Myer. Bertha was the daughter of Newton Groff Herr and Amanda L. Heller.
Jonathan’s maternal grandfather was John Benjamin Witmer (the son of John Huber Witmer and Emma Barbara Kreider). Jonathan’s grandfather John was born in Pennsylvania. Jonathan’s great-grandfather John was the son of John Huber Witney/Witmer and Barbara Ervin. Emma was the daughter of Benjamin F. Kreider and Cecelia H. Kauffman.
Jonathan’s maternal grandmother was Dolores Leoma Taylor (the daughter of John Robert Taylor and Viola May Cunningham). Dolores was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. John was the son of James Hulbert Taylor and Goldie Mae Stephens. Viola was the daughter of Howard John Cunningham and Katie L. Duncan.
Sources: Obituary of Jonathan’s paternal grandmother, Evelyn Herr (Metzler) Groff – http://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Jonathan’s mother – https://www.familysearch.org
Jonathan’s maternal grandmother, Dolores Taylor, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Jonathan’s maternal grandmother, Dolores (Taylor) Witmer – http://lancasteronline.com