Profile Text
Moné in 2017, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Justine Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado
Place of Birth: Fairfield, Solano, California, United States
Date of Birth: January 26, 1992
Ethnicity: * father – African-American * mother – German, small amount of Danish
Mercedes Moné, or Sasha Banks, is an American professional wrestler and actress. She has wrestled for AEW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Stardom, and WWE, where she was part of the SmackDown brand. She played Koska Reeves on The Mandalorian , and co-starred in the film The Collective (2023). She is also known as Mercedes KV, Miss Mercedes, and Mercedes Varnado.
Mercedes is the daughter of Judith and Reo Varnado. Her father is African-American. Her mother was born in Iowa, of German, and a small amount of Danish, ancestry. A picture of Mercedes with her parents can be seen here . She was partly raised in Minnesota, and then Boston, Massachusetts.
She is a first cousin of rapper, actor, and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg . Their fathers are siblings. Her father has been featured on Snoop’s television show Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Party Challenge . She is also a first cousin of hip hop producer Daz Dillinger, through his mother Allean Varnado; and is said to be a cousin of musicians/actors Brandy Norwood and Ray J , who are siblings.
Mercedes’ paternal grandfather was William Varnado (the son of Cornelius Varnado and Annie/Anna Patterson). Mercedes’ grandfather William was born in Mississippi. The surname Varnado in Mississippi originates with a French immigrant named Vernadeau. Cornelius was born in Mississippi, the son of Robert Varnado and Tempie. Annie was born in Mississippi, the daughter of George Patterson and Martha A. Smith.
Mercedes’ paternal grandmother was Minnie Felder (the daughter of Charles/Charlie/Charley Felder and Carrie Owens/Owen). Minnie was born in Irene, Pike County, Mississippi. Charles was born in Amite, Mississippi, the son of John Felder and Tempey McCray. Carrie was born in Amite.
Mercedes’ maternal grandfather was named Richard Kaestner. Richard was born in Iowa.
Mercedes’ maternal grandmother was named Mae Rinderknecht. Mae was born in Iowa. All of Mercedes’ maternal third great-grandparents emigrated from Germany to the U.S. in the 1800s. One of Mae’s great-grandfathers, Heinrich/Henry Axelsen, was of Danish descent.
Sources: https://unicourt.com
Genealogy of Mercedes Moné (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Mercedes Moné (focusing on her father’s side) (through Snoop Dogg) – http://www.wargs.com https://www.wikitree.com
Genealogies of Mercedes’ paternal grandparents, William Varnado and Minnie (Felder) Varnado – https://www.findagrave.com
Mercedes’ paternal grandfather, William Varnado, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org Mercedes’ paternal grandfather, William Varnado, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org