Bret Hart

Birth Name: Bret Sergeant Hart

Place of Birth: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Date of Birth: July 2, 1957

Ethnicity: English, one quarter Greek, Irish, Scottish, Northern Irish

Bret Hart is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever. He is known for his work in Stampede Wrestling, WWE/WWF, and WCW. He unwittingly participated in the famous “Montreal Screwjob” in 1997. He was also billed as Bret “Hitman” Hart. Bret appeared on Lonesome Dove: The Series. He is a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S.

Bret is the son of Helen Louise (Smith) and Stu Hart (Stewart Edward Hart), who was an amateur and professional wrestler, wrestling booker, promoter, coach, trainer, football player, and sailor. His father was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and had an impoverished childhood, sometimes living on a tent in the Alberta prairies. Stu Hart founded the wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling, and taught at its wrestling school “The Dungeon.” His mother was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. A member of the Hart wrestling family, Bret’s seven brothers Smith Hart, Bruce Hart, Keith Hart, Wayne Hart, Dean Hart, Ross Hart, and Owen Hart, were/are all professional wrestlers. His sister, Diana Hart, is a writer, model, and wrestling personality, and performed as a valet for her former husband, professional wrestler Davey Boy Smith. He is the uncle of professional wrestlers Teddy Hart, Natalya Neidhart, who is also a columnist, Davey Boy Smith, Jr., and Matt Hart.

Bret is married to Stephanie Washington. He has four children with his former wife Julie Smadu.

Bret has stated that his father was “2/3 Scottish, 1/4 Irish” and his mother was “1/2 Irish, 1/2 Greek.” More precisely, his father was of one quarter Irish, one quarter Northern Irish, one quarter Scottish, and one quarter English, descent. His mother was of one half Greek, 5/16ths English, one eighth Irish, and 1/16th Scottish, ancestry.

Professional wrestler Roddy Piper had said that he was a cousin of Bret. It is not clear if this is accurate. The two shared no immediately obvious genealogical connection.

Bret’s paternal grandfather was Edward Ernest Hart (the son of John Renold Hart and Fanny/Fannie Adelia Sargent/Sargeant). Edward was born in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada. John was the son of Irish parents, Patrick Hart, who had roots in County Cork, and Mary Wright, who was from County Tyrone. Fanny was the daughter of William Sargent, who was born in County Cork, Ireland, and of Amelia Hartley, who was born in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

Bret’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Stewart (the daughter of Donald Stewart and Elizabeth Silvester Curtis). Bret’s grandmother Elizabeth was born in Ontario, to a Scottish father and an English mother. Donald was born in Kenmore, Perthshire, the son of John Stewart and Janet McGregor. Bret’s great-grandmother Elizabeth was the daughter of George Curtis and Ann Clinker.

Bret’s maternal grandfather was Harry Smith (Harry James Smith, the son of Francis Xavier “Frank” Smith and Louise Agnes Wines). Harry was born in The Bronx, New York, and was a long-distance runner, who competed at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. Frank was the son of John Ogden Smith and Angeline Dibble, and had Colonial American ancestry. Louise was the daughter of William Wines, whose father was of Colonial American descent, and whose maternal grandparents were Scottish; and of Hannah Augusta Sweeney, who was born in Ireland.

Bret’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth “Ellie”/Ella Poulis (the daughter of Georgios/George Poulis and Spiridoula/Stella Goya). Elizabeth was born on Ellis Island, where her parents were quarantined. They had emigrated from Missolonghi, Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece.

Sources: Genealogy of Bret Hart – https://www.geni.com

Genealogies of Bret’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org