Profile Text
Zahn in 2014, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Steven James Zahn
Place of Birth: Marshall, Lyon, Minnesota, United States
Date of Birth: November 13, 1967
Ethnicity: *75% German *25% Swedish
Steve Zahn is an American actor and comedian. His roles include the films Crimson Tide , Race the Sun , SubUrbia (1996), Out of Sight , Safe Men , You’ve Got Mail , Saving Silverman , Joy Ride (2001), Riding in Cars with Boys , National Security (2003), Daddy Day Care , Sahara (2005), Chicken Little , Rescue Dawn , Strange Wilderness , Sunshine Cleaning , A Perfect Getaway , The Great Buck Howard , Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010), and its sequels; Dallas Buyers Club , The Good Dinosaur , The Ridiculous 6 , Captain Fantastic , War for the Planet of the Apes , Lean on Pete , Blaze (2018), Where’d You Go, Bernadette ; Tall Girl , Uncle Frank , Cowboys (2020), 8-Bit Christmas , Wildcat , She Dances , and Anaconda (2025); and the series Mind Games , Modern Family , The White Lotus , George & Tammy , The Righteous Gemstones , Silo , and Chad Powers .
His father, who is a Lutheran minister, is of half German and half Swedish descent. His mother is of German ancestry. Steve is married to author and theater artist Robyn Peterman, with whom he has two children, including actress Audrey Zahn.
Steve’s paternal grandfather was Clarence Eton Zahn (the son of Charles Robert Zahn and Emma Avers/Auers). Clarence was born in Minnesota. Charles was German, and was the son of Carl Wilhelm Herman Zahn and Henrietta Wilhemina Fleishfluscher, who was from Geschlitz, Pommerania, Prussia. Emma was born in Minnesota, to German parents, from Baden-Württemberg , Simon Auers/Auer and Veronika/Veronica Pahl, who was from Mosbach, Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis.
Steve’s paternal grandmother was Ruby Harriet Helen Lundberg (the daughter of Gustav Edward Lundberg and Minnie Theolunda/Teolinda Larson). Harriet was born in Minnesota. Gustav was Swedish, born in Nöbbele, Kronoberg, Sweden. Minnie was born in Minnesota, of Swedish descent, the daughter of John Larson and Eva Christina Peterson.
Steve’s maternal grandfather was Robert Otto Gades (the son of Fredrich/Fredrick/Fred/Frederick A. Gades and Martha E. Fels). Robert was born in Minnesota. Fredrich was German, the son of Prussian parents, Friedrick/Fredrick Gades and Sophie/Soffie Luebke/Luekke. Martha was born in Minnesota, to German parents, Charles Henry Fels, from Prussia, and Johanna/Johannah Wolfe.
Steve’s maternal grandmother was Helen Viola Senholz (the daughter of Henry Fredrick William Jacob Senholz and Sophia Maria Biesterfield). Helen was born in Minnesota, and was of German descent. Henry was the son of Frederick Sennholtz and Caroline Augusta L. Trubach. Sophia was the daughter of Friedrich Johann Christoph Biesterfeld and Engel Maria Dorothea Battermann.
Sources: Genealogies of Steve Zahn – http://familypedia.wikia.com https://www.geni.com
Steve’s paternal grandfather, Clarence Eton Zahn, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Steve’s paternal grandmother, Ruby Harriet Helen Lundberg, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Steve’s maternal grandfather, Robert Otto Gades, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Death records of Steve’s maternal great-grandmother, Martha E. (Fels) Gades – https://www.familysearch.org https://www.familysearch.org