Carmella

Birth Name: Leah Vandale

Place of birth: Spencer, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of birth: October 23, 1987

Ethnicity: French-Canadian, one quarter Italian, 1/16th Irish, 1/64th English

Carmella is an American professional wrestler, dancer, model, and fitness instructor. She was signed to WWE, where she performed on the SmackDown brand. She appeared on the show Total Divas.

Carmella is the daughter of Paul Vandale, a mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. Her father was a jobber for the WWF/WWE. She is married to wrestling color commentator and professional wrestler Corey Graves (born Matthew Polinsky), with whom she has two children. Corey is the brother of professional wrestler and promoter Sam Adonis.

While Carmella is often described as having Dutch ancestry through her Vandale line, this is not accurate. The name is Vandale, not Van Dale, and was changed from Vandal by her French-Canadian ancestors.

Carmella’s paternal grandfather was Normand Vandale (the son of Ernest Joseph Vandale and Yvonne Mildred Brunelle). Normand was born in Spencer, Worcester, Massachusetts, of French-Canadian descent. Ernest was born in Spencer, the son of Charles Louis Vandale, who changed his surname to Vandale, and of Marie Melvina Favreau. Charles was the son of Charles Vandal and Edessa/Edesse Cartier, who emigrated to the U.S. from Québec. Marie’s parents were also Canadian. Carmella’s great-grandmother Yvonne was born in Millbury, Worcester, the daughter of Elphige Alfred Brunelle and Marie Olivine Barrière, who herself was born in Lacolle, St.-Jean, Québec.

Carmella’s paternal grandmother was named Alice L. Lussier. Alice was of French-Canadian descent.

Carmella’s maternal grandfather was Nicholas P. Casello (the son of Nicola Casello and Herminia/Emily R. Sena). Carmella’s grandfather Nicholas was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Carmella’s great-grandfather Nicola was Italian, the son of Nunzio Cosello and Maria Farina/Farino. Herminia was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, the daughter of Italian parents, Pietro/Peter Sena, who was born in Luzzi, Cosenza, Calabria, and Rosaria Rigieri, who was from Acri, Cosenza.

Carmella’s maternal grandmother was Jeanne A. Cormier (the daughter of Albert Ramon Cormier and Alma M. Lovely). Jeanne was born on Long Island, New York. Carmella’s great-grandfather Albert was born in Berwick, York, Maine. His father, Louis Joseph Cormier, was the son of Pierre Gédéon/Gideon Cormier and Hermine Larivierre Provencher, who had emigrated to the U.S. from Québec. His mother, Victoria Venerence Ruest, was born in St. Donat, Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec. Carmella’s great-grandmother Alma was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her father, Walter Matthew Lovely, was born in Vermont, and all of his grandparents were Canadian, mostly with roots in Québec. Her mother was Mary A. Looby, whose own paternal grandparents, and mother, were Irish.

Carmella’s fourth great-grandparents, Joseph Lavallee and Josephine Pelletier, emigrated to the U.S. from Québec, and changed their surname to Lovely. Her maternal fourth great-grandparents, John Bingham and Betsy Girard, emigrated to the U.S. from Québec; John was of English descent. Her sixth great-grandparents, Solomon Bingham and Sylvina Dickinson, emigrated to Québec from the U.S. Her English ancestors were settlers in Colonial America in the 1600s

Sources: https://twitter.com

Article in which Carmella’s Italian family is mentioned – https://www.post-gazette.com

Genealogy of Carmella’s paternal grandfather, Normand Vandale – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Carmella’s paternal grandfather, Normand Vandale – https://www.legacy.com

Genealogy of Carmella’s mother – https://www.familysearch.org