Thomas McDonell

McDonell in 2011, image via DFree / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Thomas H. McDonell

Place of Birth: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: May 2, 1986

Ethnicity:
*father – Swedish, as well as Scottish, English, German, Irish
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish

Thomas McDonell is an American actor, artist, and musician. His roles include the films The Forbidden Kingdom, Prom (2011), Fun Size, The Devil’s Hand (2014), I’m Obsessed with You (But You’ve Got to Leave Me Alone), 10 Things I Hate About Life, and Simchas and Sorrows; the shows Suburgatory, The 100, and The Long Road Home; and the music videos for “Your Surrender” and “This Kiss.”

He is the son of writer Joanie Raffeld McDonell and editor, writer and publishing executive Terry McDonell. His brother is writer and producer Nick McDonell. His father is of one half Swedish, three eighths British Isles [Scottish, Irish, English], and one eighth German, descent. His maternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants, from Poland and Lithuania, respectively.

Thomas has a son with his partner, actress Jane Levy.

Thomas’s paternal grandfather was named Robert Meinrad McDonell (the son of Meinrad/Meinrod/Minrad Willard McDonell and Elsie J.). Robert was born in Minnesota. Meinrad was of Scottish descent, and was the son of John Andrew/Allan McDonell, who was born in Saint Andrews, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada; and of Margaret “Maggie” Campbell, who was born in Minnesota or Michigan, to a Canadian father of Scottish descent, and to an Irish mother. Thomas’s great-grandmother Elsie’s parents, Carl John and Augusta, were Swedish.

Thomas’s paternal grandmother was Irma Sophronia Nelson (the daughter of John Robert Nelson and Laura Sophronia/Fronie Pinney). John was born in Minnesota, to Swedish parents. Laura was the daughter of Henry Fordyce Pinney, who was of English and Irish descent, and of Elizabeth/Elise M. Boortz, who was German.

Thomas’s maternal grandfather was named Albert Raffeld (the son of Isaac Meyer Halevi). Albert was a Jewish emigrant, from Warsaw, Poland.

Thomas’s maternal grandmother was Libby S. Gutfarb (the daughter of Baruch Gutfarb and Hannah Alperin). Libby was a Jewish emigrant, from Butrimonys, Lithuania.

Sources: Genealogy of Thomas’s paternal grandfather, Robert Meinrad McDonell (focusing on his own father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com

Thomas’s paternal grandfather, Robert Meinrad McDonell, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Thomas’s paternal great-grandfather, Meinrad Willard McDonell, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Thomas’s maternal grandmother, Libby S. Gutfarb, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org