Biography
William Shatner — actor with roots in the Russian Empire
William Shatner, born 1931 in Montreal, became a cultural icon as Captain Kirk in Star Trek. He later won Emmy and Golden Globe awards for Boston Legal.
"Grandparents fled the Russian Empire circa 1900s, settling in Montreal's Jewish immigrant community."
Migration storyRussian Connection
Tracing the roots — Ukraine / Lithuania
Shatner's paternal grandparents emigrated from the Russian Empire—regions now comprising Ukraine and Lithuania—as part of the Jewish diaspora fleeing persecution around the turn of the 20th century.
Family Tree
Subject
William Shatner🇨🇦 Canada
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Grandparents
Wolf Schattner
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Origin
Ukraine / Lithuania🇷🇺 Russian Empire
Historical context
Russian Empire · c. 1721–1917
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Ukraine / Lithuania. At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.
Map: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Key Achievements
A career defined by ambition
01
Emmy Award winner, Boston Legal
02
Golden Globe winner
03
Star Trek's Captain Kirk
04
Hollywood Walk of Fame star
05
First civilian spaceflight at age 90
Sources