Jon Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi in 2009, Dylan Armajani / Shutterstock.com
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, record producer, philanthropist, and actor. He is a member of the rock band Bon Jovi. The band’s other members include/have included David Bryan, Richie Sambora, and Tico Torres. His acting roles include the films Moonlight and Valentino, The Leading Man, Little City, No Looking Back, Homegrown, U-571, Pay It Forward, Vampires: Los Muertos, and Cry_Wolf, and the series Ally McBeal.
Jon was born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr. in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to Carol (Sharkey), a florist, and John Francis Bongiovi, a barber. He is a cousin of record producer Tony Bongiovi and actor Robert Hegyes. Jon is married to Dorothea Hurley, with whom he has four children, including actor Jake Bongiovi.
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 has sometimes been said to have Russian ancestry. This is not accurate.
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 named 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
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
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!