Birth Name: Matthew Abram Groening
Place of Birth: Portland, Oregon, United States
Date of Birth: February 15, 1954
Ethnicity:
*German/Volga German (father)
*Norweigan (mother)
Matt Groening is an American cartoonist, writer, producer, animator, and voice actor. He is the creator of the television series The Simpsons and Futurama.
Matt is the son of Margaret Ruth (Wiggum) and Homer Philip Groening. He borrowed both of their first names for characters in The Simpsons, together with his siblings’ names; Lisa, Margaret (Maggie) and Patricia (Patty) Groening, as well as Homer’s father’s name, Abram (Abraham in The Simpsons). Margaret’s maiden name became the surname of police chief Clancy Wiggum.
Matt’s paternal grandparents were Abram Arthur Groening (the son of Abraham Groening and Aganetha Klaassen) and Elizabeth “Lizzie” W. Nickel (the daughter of Jacob Nickel and Helena Weins). Abram was born in Hillsboro, Kansas. Abraham was born in Russia, of Volga German descent. Aganetha was also an ethnic German, born in Russia, to Abraham Klaassen and Helena Martens. Matt’s grandmother Elizabeth was born in Fjedrovka, Russia, and was also of ethnic German descent.
Matt’s maternal grandparents were Matius Pederson Wiggum (the son of Peder Christensen Veggum and Mari Olsdtr. Kvalen) and Ingeborg O. Lobben (the daughter of Andrew O. Lobben and Erika Marie Hatle Holaquist). Matius and Ingeborg both Norwegian immigrants, who met on a boat on the way to the United States. “Wiggum” is likely an anglicized version of the Norwegian surname “Wigum”.
Sources: Genealogy of Matt Groening (focusing on his father’s side) – http://www.geni.com
Matt’s father’s family history – http://www.krausehouse.ca
Obituary of Matt’s mother – http://obits.oregonlive.com
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