Regé-Jean Page
Page in 2018, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Regérerai Gamuchirai J. A. Page/Matongo
Place of Birth: Enfield, London, England, U.K.
Date of Birth: c. May 1988
Ethnicity:
*father – English
*mother – Lozi Zimbabwean
Regé-Jean Page is a British-Zimbabwean actor. He is known for his roles in the films Mortal Engines, Sylvie’s Love, The Gray Man, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and on television’s Waterloo Road, Roots (2016), For the People, and Bridgerton.
Regé-Jean was born in London, and spent his early years in Harare, Zimbabwe, before returning to London. His father, Tim Page, was English, and was a preacher. His mother, Desi Matongo, is Zimbabwean, and is a nurse. A picture of his mother can be seen here.
Regé-Jean’s paternal grandmother’s surname likely was Dixon.
Regé-Jean’s mother’s name, Matongo, is found among the Lozi people of Zambia and neighboring countries.
Sources: https://www.interviewmagazine.com
https://squaremile.com
His mother’s surname, Matongo, is from the Lozi people. They are found primarily in Zambia, particularly their homeland of Barostseland in southwestern Zambia. But they live in all the neighboring countries including Zimbabwe.
So Rege-Jean is “Lozi Zimbabwean/Zimbabwean (Lozi)” on his mother’s side.
“Zaire” hasn’t been a country for nearly 24 years.
Moreover, the Lozi homeland is Barostseland in Zambia, not the DRC.
Here is a picture of his mother:
https://twitter.com/ToseRespite/status/1062949560786583552
Apparently, his father is deceased from what I’ve been able to find, as Tim is mentioned as being “the late Tim Page.”
That’s most likely the Tim Page who died in Enfield in 2000 and married Desideria Bassey/Page who still lives in London. They might have only lived in Zimbabwe for a few years from 1992 to 2000? Did Regé-Jean mention how long he lived in Zimbabwe for?
Death: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVZF-JNB7
Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVQK-NBWQ
Marriage: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVXP-3ZYH
Everything he mentions is vague, but his claim would fit into that time frame, generally.
I’m just curious what ethnic group Desideria is from? Because I can’t nail it down. Matongos appear to be everywhere from Namibia to South Africa. Very generally Bantu, but that’s not specific enough for my liking.
I’m not sure what ethnic group Desideria is from but the surname Bassey is found in Nigeria, Sudan, Zambia and some other African countries mainly central Africa. She could be of multiple ethnic groups?
It’s listed as both Page and Matongo
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV4K-BRVB
Desi Matongo and Tim Page own a care home for children with disabilities in Zimbabwe (moved to Zimbabwe in 1992).
http://toserespite.co.zw/about
Likely marriage in 1990 would explain why he has both surnames listed
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVXP-3ZYH
father? https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVZF-JNB7
Bassey is a common surname in many different African countries it seems.
Speaking about Zimbabweans, can you find something about George Gregan’s father? Thank u.
I’m quite certain Desideria and Desi are the same person but with a different surname. Both married a Tim Page.
Which means Timothy Graham Page is his father. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVQK-NBWQ
His birth was registered in 1988, not 1990. Father’s last name Page, mother’s last name Matongo. No marriage registered in the UK for anyone with those two surnames, but maybe they married in Zimbabwe.
Founds this:
https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/reg%C3%A8-jean-page-appreciation-tea-thread.4383790/page-40#post-68703429
“Yep – his birth name is “Regererai Gamuchirai J (Jean?) A Matongo”
(I wonder why he doesn’t have his father’s surname on his birth certificate – Matongo is his mother’s surname. Which btw says he was born in May 1988 in Enfield, but doesn’t mention a date)”
This will help. Can’t quite find the origin of the Matongo surname, though. It seems it crosses into Zambia and Namibia, so perhaps we could largely rule out it being of Nguni origin.
Actually, finding that his second given name “Gamuchirai” is a feminine Shona name.
Can anyone find any names for his parents? I’ve found absolutely nothing beyond what he’s shared with the media.