Flair in 2008, photo by s_bukley/Bigstock.com
Place of Birth: Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Date of Birth: February 25, 1949
Ethnicity: English, some Cajun French, French-Canadian, Scottish, Dutch, Welsh, Irish, and German
Ric Flair, legal name Richard Morgan Fliehr, is an American professional wrestling manager and professional wrestler. He is known for his work in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and WWE, and is considered by some to be the greatest professional wrestler of all time. He has also been billed as The Black Scorpion.
Ric was adopted by Kathleen “Kay,” who worked for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and Richard Reid Fliehr, who worked in obstetrics and gynecology. He was raised mostly in Edina, Minnesota. According to his autobiography, To Be the Man, 2004, his biological parents were Olive Demaree and Luther Phillips. His birth name was Fred Phillips, Demaree, or Stewart. Ric was adopted from the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, which was later revealed to be an illegal baby trafficking operation.
Ric’s adoptive mother Kathleen was the daughter of Frederick/Fred E. Kinsmiller and Haedwig Anna “Hattie” Friske/Frisk, who both emigrated to the U.S. from Germany. Ric’s adoptive father Richard was the son of William Harvey Fliehr, who was born in Pennsylvania, of German, Swiss-German, English, Dutch, and French descent, and of Anna R. Kaiser, who was born in New Jersey, of German, English, Dutch, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry. Richard descended from settlers in Colonial America. Some of Richard’s German ancestors emigrated from Alsace, France.
Ric is married to Wendy Barlow, who appeared in WCW as Fifi the French Maid. He has had four children: two, Megan and professional wrestler David Flair, with his former wife Leslie Goodman; and two, professional wrestlers Charlotte Flair and Reid Flair, with his former wife Elizabeth Harrell. Megan is married to mortgage broker and professional wrestling podcast host Conrad Thompson.
Ric’s biological paternal grandafther was Louis/Louie Alvin Phillips (the son of Willam Abe Phillips and Margaret Emma Parker). Louis was born in Tennessee. Emma was the daughter of Alfred King Parker and Margaret S. Johnson.
Ric’s biological paternal grandmother was Mae/May Gilbert (the daughter of Frank L. Gilbert and Fannie Stegall). Mae was born in Mississippi. Frank was the son of Francis Gilbert and Ann. Fannie was the daughter of Richard Stegall and Sarah Cook.
Ric’s biological maternal grandfather was David Kimball Demaree (the son of William P. Demaree and Ida Kimball). David was born in Louisiana. William was the son of David Demaree and Ellen Miller. Ida was the daughter of Zachariah Kimball and Philomene Virginia Roy. The name Demaree can be traced to Ric’s eight times great-grandfather, Samuel Demarest, who was of French descent, and immigrated to New Jersey in the 1600s.
Ric’s biological maternal grandmother was named Iva Elizabeth Raines. Iva was born in Mississippi.
Sources: Excerpt from Ric’s autobiography, To Be the Man, 2004 – https://www.simonandschuster.com
Ric’s official site – https://www.natureboyricflair.com
Genealogy of Ric Flair – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Ric’s biological parents – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogies of Ric’s adoptive parents – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Ric’s adoptive eight times great-grandfather, Daniel Levant – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Ric’s adoptive seven times great-grandmother, Catherine Weimer – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Ric’s adoptive tenth great-grandfather, Peter Campbell – https://www.familysearch.org
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