Rod Laver
Laver with Rachel Griffiths and Eric Bana at the G’Day USA Australia Week 2009 Black Tie Gala. Renaissance Hotel Grand Ballroom, Hollywood, CA. 01-18-09, s_bukley/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Rodney George Laver
Place of Birth: Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Date of Birth: 9 August, 1938
Ethnicity: English, some Cornish, one eighth Irish
Rod Laver is an Australian professional tennis player. He was ranked the world number 1 professional player indisputably for five years, from 1965 to 1969; and by some sources also in 1964 and 1970. He was also ranked as number 1 amateur in 1961 and 1962. He won 198 singles titles, the most ever, as well as 11 Grand Slam singles titles and 8 Pro Majors titles. He completed the Grand Slam, winning all four slams in a calendar year, in singles, twice; in 1962 and 1969. The latter remains the only time a man has done so in the Open Era.
Rod is the son of Melba Myrtle Edis and Roy Stanley Laver. He was raised in Rockhampton.
Rod’s paternal grandfather was Robert Scott Laver (the son of James Laver and Elizabeth Scott). Robert was born in West Pennard, Somerset, England. James was born in West Pennard, Somerset, England, the son of Stephen Laver and Jenny Salter.
Rod’s paternal grandmother was Mary Phillips/Philips (the daughter of James Phillips and Mary Dwyer). Rod’s grandmother Mary was born in Black by Scarsdale, Victoria, Australia, or in Middlesex, England, to a father from Cornwall and a mother from County Limerick, Ireland.
Rod’s maternal grandfather was Nathaniel Frederick Melbourne Roffery (the son of Nathaniel Roffey and Amelia Jane White). Nathaniel was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to English parents. Nathaniel was born in Rotherfield, Sussex. Amelia was born in Marylebone, London.
Rod’s maternal grandmother was Alice Clark (the daughter of John Clark and Betsy Edis). Alice was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, to English parents. John was born in Thixendale, Yorkshire. Betsy was born in Lincolnshire.
Sources: Genealogy of Rod Laver – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Rod Laver (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
I think if you can only confirm a great-grandparent as Cornish, it should probably be labeled as “some Cornish” or even 1/8, like the Irish ancestry listing.
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