Birth Name: Maria Margarita Roxas Moran
Place of Birth: Manila, Philippines
Date of Birth: September 15, 1953
Ethnicity: Filipino (including Capiznon and Pangasinan), some Spanish, 1/8 African-American
Margarita Moran-Floirendo is a Filipina beauty queen. She is known for winning the Miss Universe crown in 1973. She is the daughter of Francis Gonzales Moran and Rosario “Charo” McIlvain Roxas.
Margarita’s paternal grandparents Manuel Morán y Palisoc (the son of Juan Jacinto Morán and María Guillerma or Margarita “Titay” Palisoc y Sison) and Nieves Gonzáles. Titay was a native of Binalonan, Pangasinan, and the daughter of Francisco Palisoc and Gerónima Sison. The surname “Sison” is possibly of Chinese origin. It is unclear if this Chinese ancestry has been documented/verified. Titay’s brother, Antonio Palisoc y Sison, was listed as “indio” (native) on the church records.
Margarita’s maternal grandfather was Manuel Roxas, who was President of the Philippines (the son of Gerardo Roxas y Arroyo and Rosario Acuña y Villaruz). Gerardo was the son of Antonio Roxas y Ureta and Lucina Arroyo. Rosario was the daughter of Eleuterio Acuña and Ramona Villaruz y Andrada.
Margarita’s maternal grandmother was Juanita Muriedas McIlvain (the daughter of Sterling Robert McIlvain and, likely, Carmen Muriedas). Sterling was an African-American, from Birmingham, Alabama. He was the son of Richard McIlvain and “Fanny” (likely Frances Espy). He was listed as “Negro” or “Mulatto” on the 1880 and 1930 U.S. censuses, respectively. Muriedas was Filipina.
Sources: Genealogy of Margarita Moran-Floirendo – http://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Margarita’s maternal grandfather, Manuel Roxas – http://www.geni.com
Margarita’s great-grandfather, Sterling Robert McIlvain, on the 1880 U.S. census – https://familysearch.org
Sterling Robert McIlvain, on the 1930 U.S. census – https://familysearch.org