Birth Name: John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.
Place of Birth: Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Birth: March 2, 1962
Ethnicity:
*25% Italian-Sicilian
*25% Slovak
*25% Polish
*25% Swiss-German
Jon Bon Jovi is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and philanthropist. He is a member of the rock band Bon Jovi. The band’s other members include or previously included David Bryan, Richie Sambora, and Tico Torres.
Jon was born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr. in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to Carol (Sharkey) and John Francis Bongiovi. His cousin, Tony Bongiovi, is a record producer. Jon is married to Dorothea Hurley, with whom he has four children.
Jon’s father’s ancestry is half Italian-Sicilian and half Slovak. Jon’s mother’s ancestry is half Polish and half Swiss-German.
Jon was evidently described by Spin magazine as a relative of singer and actor Frank Sinatra. It is not clear, if accurate, what form this relation may take.
Jon’s paternal grandfather was Louis Bongiovi (the son of Giuseppe/Joseph Bongiovi and Lucia/Louise Arcuri). Louis was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents. Giuseppe was born in Cianciana, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, the son of Louis Bongiovi and Annie. Lucia was born in Cattolica Eraclea, also in Agrigento, the daughter of Emanuele Arcuri and Patti Anna.
Jon’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth M. Benkovsky (the daughter of Jan Benkovsky and Maria). Jon’s grandmother Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania, to Slovak parents.
Jon’s maternal grandfather was Michael Raymond Sharkey (the son of Paul Sharkey and Anna Reherkowitz/Rehercowicz/Regarkewicz/Rehurciewicz/Regarkevitch). Michael was born in New York, and raised in Pennsylvania. His parents were ethnic Polish immigrants (listed as being from Poland, Russia, or Lithuania, depending on the census). Michael’s surname was also spelled as Shirky. Paul was the son of Charley Sharkey and Sophia.
Jon’s maternal grandmother was Martha Wilhelmina Ludwig (the daughter of Max Ludwig and Helen Evelyn Sohler). Martha was born in New York, and was also raised in Pennsylvania. Max was born in Switzerland, of Swiss-German descent, the son of Otto Ludwig and Sussette Schulthess. Helen was born in New York, and was also of Swiss-German descent; Helen’s father, John Sohler, was born in Switzerland, and Helen’s mother, Sophia Richter, was born in New York.
Sources: Genealogy of Jon Bon Jovi – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Jon Bon Jovi (focusing on his father’s side) – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Jon’s paternal grandfather, Louis Bongiovi, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jon’s maternal grandfather, Michael Raymond Sharkey, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jon’s maternal grandmother, Martha Wilhelmina Ludwig, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Dylan Armajani / Shutterstock.com
{ 72 comments… read them below or add one }
His cousin, Tony Bongiovi, is a record producer.
Jon has stated to Spin magazine to be related to Frank Sinatra. This is evidently not accurate.
correction: Giuseppe/Joseph Bongiovi was born in Cianciana. Lucia/Louise Arcuri was born in Cattolica Eraclea; both locations in Province of Agrigento, Sicily, Italy.
Thats what i find funny about ITALIAN AMERICAN people
they consider theirselves as ITALIAN AMERICAN although many of them have other ethnic roots
SLY STALLONE, MADONNA, BON JOVI and many others who are only part ITALIAN always said that they are proud being ITALIAN
MADONNA (ITALIANS DO IT BETTER)
but what about her french, spanish, english roots ?
I remember reading in the 90s magazines in which he was quoted as being proud to be an ITALIAN
nothing said about his polish or slovak roots
But this has a meaning !
Psychologists and sociologists suggest that there is a kind of PRIDE, NATIONALISM etc. with ITALIAN AMERICAN people
That means that there are strong bounds within the communities
and compared to other ethnic groups ITALIAN AMERICANS often marry their Italian americans
JON BON JOVI is an exception
I suggest to link the profiles of Bon Jovi’s members:
Jon Bon Jovi
Richie Sambora
Tico Torres
David Bryan
Tico does not have a profile atm, add his name anyway.
Looks nothing like an Italian.
Definitely more Polish and German.
yes thats true
blond and blue eyed
more polish and slovak than italian
It’s not clear there if he is American by her maternal’s grandmother line. Have they got American descent also (English from America or from England)?, I want to know because I thought he was American. Please and thanks.
He looks very Polish to me.
Ahhhhhh, he doesn’t look Italian, more Swedish looking.
He needs to lay off the fake tan. He looks orange as hell in this picture.
don’t hate, he’s hot
He’s so fine!
He’s half Eastern-European
Does he have the head shape?
wouldn u believe or not, the flat head back is a typical trait in Eastern European men, who use to be uglier than their women.
Well, that wasn’t a very nice thing to say.
andrew what are you talking about asshole?the estern europeans are slavs the slavs are the most beautiful race in the planet!!!!!!all the super models comes from the eastern european countries and brazil!i can not say the same think for the aglosaxons for examlple especially the womans who are really ugly not femen looking but verry brutal looking!
yeah..slav women are the most beautiful in the world..no doubt at all..that’s what I wrote
Yeah that’s why 90% of models are Eastern European right? Dumbfuck.
I think that flat back head shape you refer to is associated with polish men specifically. I personally only seen it on poles not other eastern europeans. BTW there are no eastern europeans that are pure slavs but they are a mixture of balts,fins, nords, central europeans..
Ah, I finally found all of Jon’s ancestry.
Awesome well done Follers
Ah! Vell done Herr Follers! Ze Fuhrer vill be pleased! Can you get me ze ancestry of more peoples, ya?
You’re criticizing someone for doing genealogical research… on a genealogy website? Do you also criticize the postman for delivering the mail?
Yes. You have an unhealthy interest in race and ethnicity.
It’s not normal.
Who cares what race or ethnicity some “celeb” is?
I swear, if the Internet was around in the 1920s, the future Nazis would LOVE this site.
Look. Race and ethnicity are accidents of birth.
People’s appearance is often misleading (there are full blooded Italians who look Irish, full blooded Englishmen who look Spanish, people of ‘mixed race’ who look not mixed, etc.
SO WHAT?
Who cares?
Answer: Racists.
Anyone so obsessed with race and ethnicity that they feel compelled to look up what race a celeb is, is SICK.
For one: Geneticists care, historians care, & anthropologists care.
But those are all racists right?
And nobody is looking up race, they want to see what COUNTRY people originate from.
Spoiler: a lot of countries share the same race.
I haven’t link “arrow” to comments
Programm mistake or my PC is crazy again?
Folks get this straight, my family is from Sicily. my parents were born and raised there. there were no known Slavs of record in Sicily prior to 1980s. Jon Bon Jovi is much older than that so if his father is Sicilian, i cant see him being Slovak. Remember, prior to July 1943, my parents and their relatives and neighbors never knew anyone that was Black, Mixed Race, Hispanic, Jewish, Muslim, Asian etc… Sicily was augustly one of the most Caucasian areas of Europe. whatever small minority of Muslims and Jews that were there from the middle ages were massacred in the middle ages under the rule of King Ferdinand and Isabella, regents of Spain and Sicily.
Muslims and Jews cannot be Caucasian . . . ? Bosnians and Albanians are not Caucasian?
ROFLMAO! Sicily is the most mixed place in Europe (though geographically it’s as close to Africa as Europe).
The Muslim/Arab/North African influence in Sicily is so significant the Sicilian dialect is loaded with Arabic words (the most famous example being “mafia”).
Sicily is politically part of Italy but they’re ethnically distinct from mainland Italians. Ethnically they are a mix of Italian, Greek, Berber (North African), Arab, and Teutonic (what they call “Normana”).
you do love the world “mafia”, we already spoke about that, Arabic words in Sicilian language are just a few of whole vocabulary that is variation of Latin, also Sicilians are Catholic and you can’t really distinguish an Italian from a Sicilian.
example this is a Sicilian family, are u saying they’re Arab? dont make me laugh
http://www.lanazione.it/data/images/gallery/2013/59161/compleanno_giusy_buscemi.jpg
ectag,
You’re correct about some of them being a mix of Italian (Italic), Greek, and Norman (French). But, the Berbers were a mix of Spanish/French, and the “Arab” reference doesn’t have anything to do with ethnicity. When people hear the word “Arab,” they think of modern day Iraqi’s, Iranians, Jordanians, and other people of the Middle East. The “Arabs” of what we’re speaking of were mostly Spaniards who practiced the Muslim faith. In essence, this is the reason why they are referred to as “Arab,” because the majority of today’s Middle Eastern people practice the Muslim faith. It doesn’t , however, have anything to do with ethnicity. The Spaniards moved around quite a bit in those times, and they had many settlements in North Africa, and surrounding lands, and also practiced different faiths. In Sicily, however, the overwhelming majority of people are a mixture of Italian (Italic), and Greek.
the Berbers weren’t a mix of Spanish/French,they’re the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa. Right, the “Arabs” of what we’re speaking of were mostly Spaniards who practiced the Muslim faith, so called Moors
They were not mostly Spaniards.Also moors were around long before Spain even came into the picture.The Muslim faith came out of Africa into spain,not the reverse
stick to Carly Simon profile. Most of Muslisms in Moorish Spain were actually Spaniards converts and not North Africans
(Most of Muslisms in Moorish Spain were actually Spaniards converts and not North Africans)
Ok this i actually agree with,the way you wrote it before was easy to misinterpret .I don’t have time to look at whatever you want me to see in Carly,will do it later.
I thought he was Jewish.
You thought a guy with an Italian last name was Jewish? Genius.
I am second generation Sicilian, full blooded!! I know that my family refers to ourselves Sicilians not Italians.
“Italian” is more of a political designation whereas “Sicilian” is ethnic.
If his father was born in Italia, his father cannot be half Slovakian too. There arent Slovakians in Sicily !!! Maybe some Slovak said that but if his father was really born in Sicily thats IMPOSSIBLE that he has Slovakian from fathers side !!!!!!!!
@may
you say slovak can’t be there,why is there a force field keeping them out?Are you on border patrol,that you know who or who didn’t come into the country.I’m not trying to be mean,I’m just asking a question
lol
Haha. This comment made me laugh.
Of course, there were no “marriage agencies”, where
poor young east european women look for west european
men. But I wouldn’t claim, “it’s impossible”. Before communist invasion Chechoslovakia was a normal european country, a part of former Austria, they were
catholic and not worse as sicilian.
John doesn’t look a half-italian
What confused me, a statement, that his mother is
“russian and german”. “russian and german” like
mrs. Holmes, or have smb. serious sources?
Are you an idiot?! We are talking about ancestry – this doesn´t mean the location of birth, but genes of the parents! Of course there are Slovaks all over Italy and Sicilly, too, due to labour migration in Europe. Learn some history and then bawl out your opinions.
Magyar is retarded. What, you think they periodically round up and deport Slovaks from Sicily?
Sharkey, his mom’s last name, is such a beautiful surname! haha, but is it german or russian or what? doesn’t sound either!
His father was Sicilian and Slovak, his mother German and Russian
http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/jon-bon-jovi-how-i-became-a-poster-boy-for-marriage-68850.html
Hmm…Practically everywhere else mentions Carol Sharkey as Irish Italian.
I’ve never seen a good source for Irish. Just copies of IMDB or similar websites. In fact, Bon Jovi gave an interview to an Irish paper and said he WISHED he was Irish (and the rest of the interview says he’s Italian, German and Russian – doesn’t mention that his father is part Slovak, like the other paper, but I’m sure that’s true).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3670222/Jon-Bon-Jovi-New-hair-old-roots.html
Great research thanks Dave.
If that’s the case the Sharkey’s must have been called something else originally as Sharkey is an Irish name.
Wow lol i got itallian too but i dont study it althouh maybe i should seeing tht there is confusion on here by the way john francis bongiovi jr ROCKS!!!! :)
Yet another Italian Irish mix. It’s all good. :)
stephanie who lives in italy then my grandfother is italin and siccilan if hes is both and both his parents are italin what does that tell you it tells that you are both because there connected siccily is an island around italy italian and siccilan people live ther they are all connected
first of all i should know i learn about it in school and proud to be ond siccily is not attachedto itly although your italin if siccilan my grandfother God rest his soul even told me hes from ther and every one ele in my family is and its a damn shame that you you sit there and not even looking it up can say what you dont even know so go study and read som bookb because im 100 percent italin sacillin included so look thath up
Sicilians are Italians.Sicily is part of Italy.I am 3rd generation American born and raised. My ancestors came from. My heritage is Sicilian,Calabrese,Neopolitan.Sicily may not be connected to Italy but they are still part of it.Sicily is not a country.Also,the myth that is so stereotype where all Sicilians are dark skin or have olive looking complexions is false and racist.My great grandmother was born in Sicily.She had extremely light natural blonde hair and green eyes. Not all Sicilians are dark skinned.Sicilians are Italians,speak Italian,food culture is Italian.I consider myself American-Italian.My heritage is 100 percent Italian and damn proud of it,and Sicilian is part of that.To the ignorant people out there.Since Sicily is not a country then what is it?Know your history before you speak.Sicily is part of Italy.Oh yeah, even though I love my American food,Italian food is of course just as great.I know so many non-Italians that love Italian food,they can’t get enough of it.
you seem a little to proud, italians rule thr tri state area that is it.
everybody loves italian, us irish people give half of our paychecks to you every friday and saturday night when we go out to eat, nobody hates sicilians and sicilians should not hate anybody also. you got the usa eating out of your hand. the state i live in most people are half or whole italian.
Sharkey IS an Irish last name.
stephanie is right Sicilian is not Italian and will never be Italian
RESPECT THE SICILIANS
Italians and Sicilians are not the same.. if his father was born in Sicily, he is sicilian and it is a completely different culture and the island is not even connected to Italy
actually Sicily is part of Italy, Sicilians are Italians too.
Sicily is part of Italy, but its only geographic and governed by. They have their own language, culture and pride. And as far as I know Jon Bon Jovi still has family living in Sciacca, Sicily on his fathers side. And the blonde, green eyes come from the Albanese quarter in Palermo. In other words they are immigrants to Sicily as are many others as Sicily was on the mediterraen trade route for many centuries and has also been invaded by many different cultures too, all are reflected in their architecture and food. It is also a beautiful country in its own right and the Sicilians should be proud to say, I am sicilian when asked.
Jon is Italian and Polish. His Mom’s last name is Sharkey.
that could be possible Dirk. I wanna find that
that could be possible Dirk. I wanna find that out
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