Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Johnson in 2007
Birth Name: Dwayne Douglas Johnson
Place of Birth: Hayward, Alameda, California, United States
Date of Birth: May 2, 1972
Ethnicity:
*father – African-Canadian/Black Nova Scotian [including Beninese], small amount of Irish
*mother – Samoan, as well as 1/16th Scottish
Dwayne Johnson, also credited as The Rock, Flex Kavana, and Rocky Maivia, is an American actor, producer, businessperson, professional wrestler, and American/Canadian professional football player. He has starred in The Scorpion King, The Rundown, Doom, Gridiron Gang, Race to Witch Mountain, The Other Guys, Faster, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Hercules (2014), San Andreas, Moana, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Rampage, Skyscraper, Fighting with My Family, Jungle Cruise, DC League of Super-Pets, Black Adam, and the Fast and the Furious films, among many other productions; many of his films are among the most popular of the 21st century.
He is the son of Ata Johnson (born Feagaimaleata or Mataniufeagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia) and Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles), a Canadian and American wrestler. His father was also billed as Sweet Ebony Diamond and Drew Glasteau. A picture of Dwayne at a young age, along with his parents, can be seen here.
Dwayne’s father, who was black, African-Canadian, was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, and had Black Nova Scotian heritage. Black Nova Scotians descend from African-Americans who left the U.S. after the American Revolution, having sided with the British. Dwayne’s paternal grandparents were both black, and Dwayne has stated that he also found out that he has some “strong Irish blood” on his father’s side. Dwayne has also been said to have First Nations (Native Canadian) ancestry, although it is not clear if that is accurate.
Dwayne’s mother is Samoan, and descends from Samoan royalty. She is the adoptive stepdaughter of Samoan professional wrestler Peter Maivia, and the daughter of wrestling promoter Lia Maivia. His mother is also of 1/16th Scottish descent. Dwayne spent some time growing up in Grey Lynn, New Zealand, where he was able to learn about his Pacific Islander heritage. He has a tribal “pe’a” chest-and-arm tattoo. He was also partly raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Hamden, Connecticut.
Dwayne was selected People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2016. He is the second non-white man, and the second man of significant African ancestry, to have been given this title by the magazine (Denzel Washington, in 1996, is the first, and Idris Elba, in 2018, John Legend, in 2019, and Michael B. Jordan, in 2020, are the others, fitting both criteria). Dwayne is also the first Polynesian man to have been given the title.
Dwayne is married to singer and songwriter Lauren Hashian. He has a daughter with his former wife, businessperson, IFBB professional bodybuilder, and producer Dany Garcia, who works on many of his films; and two children with Lauren.
Dwyane’s paternal grandfather was James Henry A. Bowles (the son of John W. Bowles and Lila/Lilla/Lillian Jones). James was born in Amherst, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada. John was the son of Stephen Bowles and Charlotte/Charlotta/Lottie Jones. Lila was the daughter of Henry Jones and Mary Jane.
Dwyane’s paternal grandmother was Lillian Gay (the daughter of Alfred Nathan Gay and Isabelle/Isabel/Isabell/Isabella Sickles). Lillian was born in Amherst, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Alfred was the son of Delia/Adelia. Isabelle was born on Prince Edward Island, the daughter of William Benjamin Sickles and Hannah Colecraft/Colecroft. Through this line, Dwayne is descended from Dembo Sickles, who was born, c. 1762, in Benin, and was sold as a slave to a man in Prince Edward Island.
Dwayne Johnson with his parents, 2015, photo by kathclick/Bigsotck.com
Dwayne’s biological maternal grandfather was John Sione Papali’itele Fitisemanu (the son of Malietoa Talavou Pe’a Fitisemanu and Alisa Jane Tuiloma Crichton). John was born on Vaisala, Samoa. Talavou was the son of Malietoa Fa’alata Talavou Fitisemanu and Salumalo Leilua. Fa’alata’s father was Malietoa Talavou Tonumaipe’a, King of Samoa. Alisa was the daughter of John Tuiloma Crichton, whose father was from Glasgow, Scotland, and of Talau’ula Malolo.
Dwayne’s maternal grandmother was Lia Maivia (born Ofelia Fuataga, the daughter of Sanitoa Aulaumea and Talaleu Soesa Fuataga). Lia Maivia was born in Lalomanu, Aleipata, Western Samoa, then under New Zealand rule, now independent. Sanitoa was the son of Aulaumea T. and Tulafono.
Dwyane’s adoptive maternal grandfather was born Fanene Pita Anderson (the son of Rebecca Fanene). Fanene was born on American Samoa; he wrestled under the name Peter Maivia, and was also known as Peter Anderson. In Dwayne’s own early wrestling days, he was known as Rocky Maivia, a combination of the nicknames of his father, Rocky Johnson, and Peter Maivia. Peter himself was adopted by Ifopo F. Amituana’i, the father of The Rev. Amituana’i Anoa’i. Ifopo was the great-grandfather of professional wrestler and actor Roman Reigns and professional wrestler Rikishi, and the great-great-grandfather of professional wrestlers Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso. The family was from Utulei on American Samoa. Dwayne is also a fourth cousin, once removed, of actress Eliana Sua. Dwayne’s maternal great-great-great-grandparents, William Crichton and Uputaua Falemalu Lesa, were also Eliana’s paternal great-great-great-great-grandparents. Peter Maivia was also a cousin of Australian-born professional wrestler Nia Jax‘s father.
Sources: https://www.cbc.ca
Genealogies of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – http://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com
Family history of Dwayne’s father – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Marriage records of Dwayne’s paternal great-grandparents, Alfred Nathan Gay and Isabelle/Isabel/Isabell/Isabella Sickles – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org
Dwayne’s paternal great-grandparents, Alfred Nathan Gay and Isabelle/Isabel/Isabell/Isabella Sickles, on the 1901 Canada Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Alfred Nathan Gay and Isabelle/Isabel/Isabell/Isabella Sickles on the 1911 Canada Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Johnson with wife Lauren Hashian, 2013, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
The Rock is getting away with passing as ambigious but if you ask me his dna can be mostly African because Somoans have alot of anchient African negrito dna. Just google it. You will find out. Google Somoan negritos they have afros and they look like this man below:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/95/12/b5/9512b51b655c6ab1c0ef095181c98d9a.jpg
Stop with this dumb African-Samoan brotherhood. If you don’t count Europeans, some MENAs and East Asians, most of the inhabitants of this planet are brown, Samoans included.
@Andrew lol, its the TRUTH is not dumb. NEGRITOS Somoan natives migrated from Africa thrn mixed with lighter Asians. Personally Somoans can be considered mixed recently as a whole like hispanics.
The only recent admixture Samoans can have is from Germans or other European settlers. You find Samoans with surnames like “Schwalger” or “Kahn”.
Actually everyone is said to be brown, including white people
@Andrew you sound like an ignorant racist who needs to travel. Not all black Africans are dark skinned.
most West Africans I use to see everyday have the skintone of a black leather jacket. The only ones who stand out are some Nigerians, who are lighter. Their women are skinny with flat asses.
@Andrew
That the key phrase right there,(I use to see ). You’ve seen a few Africans and you base your opinion on that. However you’ve already admitted in earlier debates that your exposure is limited.
See these three West Africans here, same group:
http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/3741491_screenshot201601280035061_jpeg3f41537b3330a6bb097554fb3e7ca7e9
http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/3741492_screenshot201508021150231_jpeg4fe9cec7cf41c47e08fb826d686db618
http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/4123264_img20160813040918876_jpege322f42e9eabd685f626f62a3798c899
are the black as a leather jacket?
Their women Skinny with flat asses, that definitely not like the Nigerians I’ve seen
correction: are they black as a leather jacket
The African groups are mixing, I mean they’ve always done that. You’re going to get all kinds of facial features, not just the stereotypes. So get all the every African has a wide nose, kinky hair, and big lips with ink color skin out your head
I can’t open your links. Your exposure is limited, not mine. I’ve met West Africans from Ghana, Nigeria (Yoruba and Igbo), Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Senegal.
Also a group of Tuaregs visited my elementary school. I just remember one of my classmates saying that they smelt badly. They had large, typical dresses. I can’t say more, I was a kid
Andrew
the pics are working fine for me. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. So how many have you met?10,20,few thousand? No matter the number you’ve met,You still wouldn’t have come close to meeting West Africa. I’ve also met and befriended members of each of those groups you’ve mention except(Burkina Faso)and even I haven’t met West Africa . A lot of them like the Africa studies program the colleges offer here.My doctor is Nigerian, and she is not skinny with a flat ass. Did you know that Nigerians,( Fulani, Yoruba, Hausa and Tuaregs )have all been intermarrying with each other?
Tuaregs, well how many were in the group? 10, 20 few thousand? Have you met all the Tuareg since then?
403 forbidden
It say when I click your links. That is my point: except for the Igbo Nigerians, they usually have the black leather jacket skintone. So black you just see their teeth at night.
About the Tuaregs, they were a small group. I don’t remember much. It was a cultural exchange or something.
Also a Gabonese girl at my high school. My teacher of chemistry used to remark how dark-skinned she was. Not a racist guy though.
It’s pretty obvious that his father have some European ancestry, but wouldn’t be more accurate to write “possibly some Irish”? (since it’s not verified). You pay too much attention to what celebs claim.
I only pay attention some of the time. There are lots of people of Irish descent in Nova Scotia, it’s one of the most Celtic places on Earth.
The epitome of “Black Irish” indeed
@Andrew actually its not pretty obvious as there are 100% percent black Africans who have light skin
Link
https://youtu.be/XvrfB7ENqvY
Yes, she looks Nigerian. But she lacks the European influence you see in the faces of many African-Americans (think to Beyoncé’s father). Dwayne’s father basically looks like a mulatto.
For everyone writing that Samoans and southern Europeans looked a bit “African”. Do you not realize that our whole species is African in origin? It’s really not rocket science. Not a single human on this planet can say that they are in no way of African ancestry. XD They being said, they are not mixed with Africans any more than Norwegians are.
People weeded out genes and mutations to pick the ones that assisted survival in their new homes. People far north chose genes to make them more pale and assist them in gaining vitamin D in order to grow. This sacrifice also increased their rates of cancer, but it kept them alive long enough to reproduce. Nordic peoples are no more white than the Portuguese genetically. (I picked the Portuguese because they did not allow mixing with Africans or Moors historically, yet many are dark and still accused of being mixed.)
A DNA test of my Nordic grandfather, Greek-German husband, and my Portuguese best friend (from Portugal) showed all to be equally white genetically even though the Portuguese friend is as dark as I am, and I am half black.
All around the world, people living at the closest point to the sun had to remain darker or die faster. Their ethnicity makes no difference. Technically, Asians would be far less related to Africans than any European. This includes Samoans and Australian Aboriginals.
They have curly hair because they are closer to Africans genetically.
@Wolf
1.Quote( People far north chose genes to make them more pale and assist them in gaining vitamin D in order to grow)
I don’t think they chose anything. I’m pretty sure nature made that decision for them
2. Quote((I picked the Portuguese because they did not allow mixing with Africans or Moors historically)
LOL, what they didn’t allow, are you joking. They did a lot of allowing back then. The Portuguese were no different than the rest of the Europeans. How do you think Cape Verde people came about. 6-10% of Southern Portugal was black . Afonso Álvares was a well known mulatto born in Portugal in the 1500’s. How do you think he got there if there was no mixing?
@Wolfcat87 I disagree with you in whole. Everyone originated in Africa but it is proven African dna in Southern Europe especially the Greek Island of Cyprus which had alot of West African admixture. Portuguese mixed with West Africans and Sicily, ITALY has West African admixture just a couple hundred years ago. Also in native Somoa there were ALOT of black negritos. Dont be a fool. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS A GOOGLE SEARCH ON THE INTERNET. I HATE STUPIDITY AND THE DENIAL OF OBVIOUS AFRICAN DNA. IF IT LOOKS AFRICAN IT IS AFRICAN.
People in Cyprus have East African ancestry, if any. There are people in Turkey with West African ancestry, you might be mixing them up.
@bablah
Midori is so dumb that she confused “West African” with “West Asian” LOL
If you click this link these Somoans look African/Asian like the Rocks mom, and Somoan is not a race either.
Somoans
http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/en/Find-Us/Western-Australia/Our-Churches/Gosnells/What-we-Offer/Samoan/
http://comicvine.gamespot.com/wild-samoans/4060-61172/characters/