Shaquille O’Neal
O’Neal in 2009, photo by s_bukley/bigstock.com
Birth Name: Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal
Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Birth: March 6, 1972
Ethnicity: African-American
Shaquille O’Neal is an American professional basketball player, rapper, actor, and television personality. He is the son of Joseph Toney and Lucille O’Oeal. He became estranged from his biological father when he was young, and considers his stepfather, Phillip A. Harrison, to be his father.
Shaquille has four children with his former wife, television executive Shaunie O’Neal, and a daughter with his former partner Arnetta Yardbourgh.
Shaquille is a Muslim and is a practitioner of mixed martial arts.
Shaquille’s maternal grandfather was Sirlester/Sirlister O’Neal (the son of Hilton O’Neal and Scillar Wright). Sirlester was born in Georgia. Hilton, a farmer, was the son of George O’Neal and Sarah Kemp; George was the son of former slaves, Freeman O’Neal and Charity/Cherry Blackshear.
Shaquille’s maternal grandmother was Odessa Perry Chambers (the daughter of Johnnie Perry and Willie S. Ucier). Odessa was born in Georgia.
Source: Family history of Shaquille O’Neal (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://laurenscountyafricanamericanhistory.blogspot.it
I know this can’t proven, but it’s definitely possible that he has some degree of Irish ancestry. O’Neal? Come on you can’t get more Irish than that.
Tyson too (Kirkpatrick). Hard to verify.
Shaquille’s maternal grandfather is Sirlester O’Neal (the son of Hilton O’Neal and Scillar Wright). Hilton, a farmer, was the son of George O’Neal. George was the son of former slaves Freeman O’Neal and Charity Blackshear.
Shaquille’s maternal grandmother is Odessa Perry Chambers.
http://laurenscountyafricanamericanhistory.blogspot.it/2014/02/family-connections-oneals.html
http://familyhistoryinsider.com: broken link