Birth Name: Bruce Vincent Rauner
Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Date of Birth: February 18, 1956
Ethnicity:
*German, English, distant Swiss-German, Scottish (father)
*Swedish (mother)
Bruce Rauner is an American businessperson, philanthropist, and politician. A Republican, he has served as governor of Illinois, since January 12, 2015.
Bruce is the son of Ann E. O’Rita (Erickson) and Vincent Joseph Rauner. He has stated:
I’m the oldest of four kids. Half-Swedish, Half-German. German Catholic, Swedish Lutheran. My parents argued about it, I was raised Episcopalian.
While Bruce’s mother is indeed of entirely Swedish descent, Bruce’s father has German and English ancestry, with distant Swiss-German and Scottish, roots. Bruce’s paternal grandfather was of entirely German descent, while Bruce’s paternal grandmother had English, some German, and distant Swiss-German and Scottish, ancestry.
Bruce’s paternal grandfather was Franklin Joseph Rauner (the son of Vincent Rauner and Mary Ann Illg). Vincent was the son of ethnic German parents, Mathias Rauner and Anna Ebert/Eberl. Mathias was born in Plzeň, Czech Republic. Mary Ann was the daughter of John Leo Illig, who had German ancestry, and of Magdalene Smith, whose parents were ethnic Germans, from Alsace-Lorraine in France.
Bruce’s paternal grandmother was Kathryne Merriman (the daughter of Harry J. Merriman and Nora M. Spaulding). Harry was the son of George W. Merriman and Jennie Sherman. Nora was the daughter of Charles A. Spaulding, whose mother had German ancestry, and of Catherine/Katherine J. Putney.
Bruce’s maternal grandparents were Clarence L. Erickson and Viola B. Wedin (the daughter of David Wedin and Selma J. Wahlsten). Clarence was born in Wisconsin, to Swedish parents. David was Swedish. Selma was born in Lake Town, Wisconsin, to Swedish parents.
Sources: Genealogies of Bruce Rauner (focusing on his father’s side) – http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal grandfather, Franklin Joseph Rauner – http://www.findagrave.com
Bruce’s paternal grandfather, Franklin Joseph Rauner, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal great-grandmother, Mary Ann Illig – https://familysearch.org
Bruce’s paternal great-grandmother, Mary Ann Illig, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal great-great-grandfather, John Leo Illig – http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Magdalene Smith – http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal grandmother, Kathryne Merriman – http://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal great-grandfather, Harry J. Merriman – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal great-grandmother, Nora M. Spaulding – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Bruce’s paternal great-grandmother, Nora M. Spaulding (through Nora’s sister, Marie Spaulding) – http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Bruce’s paternal great-great-grandfather, Charles A. Spaulding, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Bruce’s mother, Ann Erickson, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Bruce’s mother, Ann (Erickson) Rauner – http://www.legacy.com
Bruce’s maternal grandfather, Clarence L. Erickson, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Bruce’s maternal grandmother, Viola B. Wedin, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Viola B. Wedin on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org