Birth Name: Brian Joseph Gionta
Place of Birth: Rochester, New York
Date of Birth: January 18, 1979
Ethnicity: Italian, German, possibly other
Family Background: Brian Gionta is an American professional ice hockey player and captain of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League.
Brian Gionta is the son of Sam and Penny Gionta.
Brian’s paternal grandparents are/were Sylvester B. Gionta and Antoinette Gionta.
Sylvester was the son of Salvatore Gionta (the son of Vincent Gionta and Mary Civitia Purifato) and Mary Elizabeth Mandell (the daughter of Philippo and Elizabeth Mandell).
Salvatore Gionta (along with his parents) were born in Italy and immigrated to the United States of America. “Mandell” is usually a German surname.
Source: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/democratandchronicle/obituary.aspx?pid=157436596 (obituary of Sylvester B. Gionta)
Geni.com (starting with Salvatore Gionta and Mary Elizabeth Mandell)