Bobby Bones
Bones in 2014, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Bobby W. Estell
Place of Birth: Mountain Pine, Arkansas, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 2, 1980
Ethnicity: English, other
Bobby Bones is an American radio and television personality. He is the host of The Bobby Bones Show. He appeared on Dancing with the Stars season 27, and has written best-selling books.
His father left the family when Bobby was five. He was raised by his mother, Pamela, and maternal grandmother. He has considerable Colonial American (English) ancestry.
Bobby’s paternal grandfather likely was Robert Glenn “Bobby” Estell (the son of Glenn D. Estell and Ola Irene Lester). Robert was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Bobby’s paternal grandmother was Wanda Sue Huff (the daughter of Leonard Huff and Maggie Neal). Wanda was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Bobby’s maternal grandfather was named Lloyd E. Hurt. Lloyd was born in Missouri.
Bobby’s maternal grandmother was named Hazel C. Rhodes.
Sources: Marriage record of Bobby’s paternal great-grandparents, Glenn D. Estell and Ola Irene Lester – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Bobby’s paternal grandmother, Wanda Sue (Huff) Estell Priddy – https://www.tributearchive.com
Obituary of Bobby’s uncle – https://www.findagrave.com
Marriage record of Bobby’s maternal grandparents, Lloyd E. Hurt and Hazel C. Rhodes – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Bobby’s maternal grandfather, Lloyd E. Hurt – https://www.findagrave.com
I think Bobby’s father is Ricky/Rick Bob Estell. Still lives in the same town, would be around the right age given that it’s said he had Bobby when he was 17 or 18. If it’s not him, this may be an uncle, but we’re definitely within one person if this isn’t the correct person. He looks to have 3 siblings: Michael, Ronald (deceased) & Glenn.
Ricky Estell is the son of Bob and Sue Estell. I believe this is Ricky’s mother, below. As for Bob Estell, all I can find is that he died in 1994.
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/3823669/Wanda-Sue-Estell-Priddy
She was born Wanda Sue Huff in Hot Springs, AR to Leonard Huff & Maggie Neal.
Actually, his paternal grandfather appears to be Robert “Bobby” Glenn Estell, born in Hot Springs Arkansas to Glenn D. Estell from Illinois, and Ola Irene Lester from Arkansas.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQVP-296
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7743422/ola-i-estell
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KLV2-R3X
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMRN-GMH
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-661H-2S2?i=687&cc=1417439
FamilySearch has the Estell line going back to Colonial America, and to Thomas Estell in particular who would appear to be the immigrant ancestor, but there is no records attached to him.
At least on his father’s side, he seems to have a lot of British Colonial American ancestry. The Estells appear to start out in New Jersey and then quickly on to Virginia, and then for decades in the Midwest and Midlands region (southern Indiana & Illinois and Kentucky) of the country before his great-grandparents on that line move to Arkansas. His mother’s side on first blush also appear to be mostly British.
Pretty sure this is his father:
However, I can’t find the origin of the surname. It appears most of his paternal family still live in and around his tiny hometown.