Chyna

photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Joan Marie Laurer

Date of Birth: December 27, 1969

Place of Birth: Rochester, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: April 20, 2016

Place of Death: Redondo Beach, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: German, as well as 1/16th French-Canadian, 1/16th English, 1/64th Swiss-German

Chyna was an American professional wrestler, actress, model, and bodybuilder.

Chyna was the daughter of Janet Carol and Joseph “Joe” Von Laurer, Jr.

Chyna’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Vincent Laurer (the son of Charles Michael Laurer/Von Laurer and Caroline K. Meier). Charles was born in Bavaria, Germany, to Joseph Laurer and Theresa Stoiber. Caroline was the daughter of German immigrant Heinrich “Henry” Meier and Mary Wartinger, of German descent.

Chyna’s paternal grandmother was Arline Elizabeth DeRoller (the daughter of John Louis DeRoller and Rose Barbara Heiber). John was the son of George DeRoller, whose parents were German immigrants, and of Marie Poirière (also known as Mary Peartree), of French-Canadian descent. Rose was born in Stuttgart, Württemberg (now part of Baden-Württemberg), Germany, to Frederich Heiber and Catherine Barbara Arnold.

Chyna’s maternal grandfather was Stuart Arthur Wahl (the son of Edward Henry Charles Wahl and Stella Rose Rossman). Stuart was born in New York. Edward was the son of German immigrants, Johannes “John” Wahl and Evalina “Evelyn” Behnke. Stella was the daughter of Henry R. Rossman, whose parents were German immigrants, and of Amelia Flum, whose maternal grandmother was a Swiss-German immigrant, and whose other grandparents were German immigrants.

Chyna’s maternal grandmother was Dorothy R. Vogel (the daughter of Walter Robert Vogel and Margaretta Deary). Dorothy was born in Pennsylvania. Walter was the son of John Samuel Vogel and Anna Flechsig, both of whom were of German descent. Margaretta was the daughter of Robert Allen Deary, who was of English descent, and of Margaret R. Sorge, who was of German descent.

Chyna’s matrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her seventh great-grandmother, Barbara.

Sources: Genealogy of Chyna (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Obituary of Chyna’s father – http://www.legacy.com

Marriage record of Chyna’s maternal grandparents, Stuart Arthur Wahl and Dorothy R. Vogel – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Chyna’s maternal great-grandparents, Edward Henry Charles Wahl and Stella Rose Rossman – https://familysearch.org