Birth Name: Nathaniel Joseph Ruess
Place of Birth: Iowa City, Iowa
Date of Birth: February 26, 1982
Ethnicity:
*71.875% German
*15.625% Dutch
*12.5% Irish
Nate Ruess is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead singer of the bands Fun., and, previously, The Format.
Nate’s ancestry is 23/32 German, 5/32 Dutch, and 4/32 Irish.
Nate’s paternal grandparents are Robert H. Ruess (the son of Albert John Ruess and Margaret Irene Gatens) and Geraldine D. Wissink (the daughter of Aloysius Wissink and Katharina Holtermann). Albert was of three quarters German and one quarter Dutch descent. Margaret was of Irish descent, the daughter of Edward Gatens and Ellen C. McGee. Aloysius was Dutch. Katharina was German.
Nate’s maternal grandparents were Anthony William Zinger (the son of Andrew E. Zinger and Estella Marie Moeller) and Erma Behrens (the daughter of Henry Behrens and Margaretha Wellendorf-Arp). Andrew and Estella were both of German descent, with some of Andrew’s family being from Alsace-Lorraine. Henry was born in Iowa, to German parents. Margaretha was German.
Sources: History of the Ruess family – http://iagenweb.org
Nate’s paternal grandfather, Robert H. Ruess, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy and obituary of Nate’s paternal grandfather, Robert H. Ruess – http://www.findagrave.com
Nate’s paternal grandmother, Geraldine D. Wissink, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Nate’s maternal grandparents, Anthony William Zinger and Erma Behrens – http://www.findagrave.com
Nate’s maternal grandfather, Anthony William Zinger, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Nate’s maternal grandmother, Erma Behrens, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Nate’s maternal grandmother, Erma (Behrens) Zinger – http://qctimes.com