Jonathan Drew Groff was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Julie (née Witmer), a physical education teacher, and Jim Groff, a harness horse trainer. He has an older brother, David. Groff is a first cousin of singer James Wolpert, a semi-finalist on the fifth season of "The Voice". Groff was raised in Ronks, Pennsylvania. He is of German, English, Swiss, and Scottish descent. His father is Mennonite, and his mother is Methodist. Groff was raised Methodist and grew up among Amish communities.