Wayne Newton
Newton in 2013, photo by s_bukley/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Carson Wayne Newton
Place of Birth: Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 3, 1942
Ethnicity: English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, German
Wayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer. He is known for his Las Vegas residency.
He is the son of Evelyn Marie (Smith) and Patrick Newton. Wayne has often stated that his parents were both of half Native American ancestry, his father Powhatan and his mother Cherokee. This statement does not appear to be accurate.
On his father’s side, Wayne is said to have a Powhatan Native American eight times great-grandmother, a woman named Keziah Arroyah, who was born, c. 1635, in Bryant, Charles, Maryland. However, it is not clear if this woman really existed. It is also not clear if Wayne’s mother had verified Native American ancestry. Wayne’s parents are both listed as “White” on the 1940 U.S. Census and on their marriage record, among other documents.
Wayne is married to lawyer Kathleen McCrone. He has a daughter with his former wife Elaine Okamura; and a daughter with Kathleen.
Wayne’s paternal grandfather was Brodie Newton (the son of Absalom Alvin Newton and Silvestra/Sylvestra Sullivan). Brodie was born in Virginia. Absalom was the son of Gustavus Buchanon Newton and Eleanor/Ellen Ware Monteith. Silvestra was the daughter of Jonas Sullivan and Octavia Ellen Frances Shelton.
Wayne’s paternal grandmother was Nellie Jones (the daughter of Asthon Jones and Price/Pricie Ann Curtis). Nellie was born in Virginia. Ashton was the son of Lewis Jones and Richardetta. Price was the daughter of John F. Curtis and Mary V. Norman.
Wayne’s maternal grandfather was Homer “Howard” Plaster/Plasters Smith (the son of Millard Fillmore Plaster/Plasters and Louella Lawless). Homer was born in Virginia. Millard was the son of Creed William Plaster/Plasters and Ruhannah Griffith. Louella was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Lawless and Sallie/Sally A. Ashby.
Wayne’s maternal grandmother was named Bessie Marie Massie/Massey.
Sources: Wayne’s parents on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Wayne Newton (focusing on his father’s side) – http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Wayne’s maternal grandfather, Homer “Howard” Plaster/Plasters Smith, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Homer “Howard” Plaster/Plasters Smith on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Wikipedia’s talk page about Wayne Newton has discussed possible Patawomeck ancestry and the problems of Native Americans in Virginia with their records been altered by the 1924 Racial Integrity Act to lump most Native Americans into the “black, Negro or colored” category, but sometimes like Wayne Newton’s case, his family were listed under “white” along with all the first families of Virginia (the Bollings, for example) proven to descended from Mataoka (Pocahontas) to had an exception under the law. He’s related to Debbie “White Dove” Perrico, who was a model for Disney’s animated movie Pocahontas and she worked with Donald Trump in his 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential campaign and the Republican party.