Kagasoff in 2012, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Daren Maxwell Kagasoff
Place of Birth: Encino, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: September 16, 1987
Ethnicity:
*87.5% Ashkenazi Jewish
*6.25% English
*6.25% German
Daren Kagasoff is an American actor. He is known for his roles on the series The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Red Band Society, and The Village, and in the films Ouija (2014) and Devotion.
Daren was raised Jewish.
Seven of Daren’s eight great-grandparents were born to Jewish families. One of his great-grandmothers was of German and English descent, and likely converted to Judaism. Daren’s Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors were from Russia, Germany, and Poland.
Daren’s paternal grandfather was Nathan Kagasoff (the son of Isadore Kagasoff and Edith Leventhal). Nathan was born in California. Isadore was born in New York, the son of Jewish emigrants, Nathen Kagasoff/Karhosiaff, from Kiev, and Amie Amind Elkie Lipkoff/Linkoff, who was also from the Russian Empire. Edith’s father, Ben Leventhal, was born in Pennsylvania, to German Jewish parents. Edith’s mother, Sarah Cohen, was born in Maryland, to Russian Jewish parents.
Daren’s paternal grandmother was Gloria Kotlarz (the daughter of Hersz/Harry Kotlar/Kotlarz and Helen Rozenzon). Gloria was a Polish Jewish immigrant.
Daren’s maternal grandfather was Jack Levy (the son of Morris Levy and Elizabeth Morganstien). Jack was born in Pennsylvania, to a Polish Jewish father and a Russian Jewish mother.
Daren’s maternal grandmother was Virginia Darlene Fishman (the daughter of Max/Mark/Maxwell Fishman and Virginia Rose Norton). Daren’s grandmother Virginia was born in Illinois. Daren’s great-grandfather Max was a Russian Jewish immigrant. Daren’s great-grandmother Virginia was born in Illinois, the daughter of Homer Norton and Elizabeth/Elisabeth Augustine Nessel. Daren’s great-great-grandfather Homer was the son of Byron Norton and Rebecca Reid, and had English ancestry. Daren’s great-great-grandmother Elizabeth was the daughter of Valentin Franz Nessel and Rosina Brauneis, who were from Seligenstadt, Darmstadt, Hesse. Virginia, Daren’s maternal great-grandmother, was not born Jewish, but it is likely that she converted to Judaism when she married Daren’s Jewish-born maternal great-grandfather. Daren’s maternal grandparents were married by a Rabbi.
Sources: Genealogy of Daren Kagasoff – https://www.geni.com
Marriage record of Daren’s paternal grandparents, Nathan Kagasoff and Gloria Kotlarz – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Daren’s paternal great-grandparents, Isadore Kagasoff and Edith Leventhal – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Daren’s maternal grandparents, Jack Levy and Virginia Darlene Fishman – https://familysearch.org
Daren’s maternal great-grandparents, Max/Mark/Maxwell Fishman and Virginia Rose Norton, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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