Roddy Piper

Piper at the Los Angeles Party for “Kickin’ It Old Skool.” The Music Box, Hollywood, CA. 04-25-07, s_bukley/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Roderick George Toombs

Date of Birth: April 17, 1954

Place of Birth: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Date of Death: July 31, 2015

Place of Death: Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – Irish, Scottish
*mother – Austrian, Bohemian Czech, English, Swedish, distant Dutch, Scottish, and Welsh

Roddy Piper was a Canadian professional wrestler, actor, and podcaster. He was known for his work in WWE and WCW. His wrestling character, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, incorporated elements of his Scottish heritage as he wore a kilt, played bagpipes, and was billed as being from Glasgow, Scotland. He began wrestling in the U.S. when he was nineteen. As an actor, his films included Body Slam (1986), Hell Comes to Frogtown, and They Live. He was also known as The Masked Canadian and Piper Machine.

Roddy was the son of Eileen and Stanley Baird Toombs. His father was born in Saskatchewan. His mother was born in British Columbia. He grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Roddy was married to Kitty Jo Dittrich, until his death, with whom he had four children, including professional wrestler and actress Ariel Teal Toombs. Roddy had said that he was a cousin of professional wrestler Bret Hart. It is not clear if this is accurate. The two shared no immediately obvious genealogical connection.

Roddy’s paternal grandfather was George Francis Toombs (the son of Francis Scott Toombs and Sarah Ann Baird). George was born in Walkerton, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada. Roddy’s great-grandfather Francis was born in Elgin, Ontario, the son of Irish parents, Chancey Blaney/Bleaney Toombs/Toomes and Mary Ann Loughlin or Charlotte. Sarah was born in Huron, Ontario, also the daugher of Irish parents, John Baird and Esther Mckee/McKay.

Roddy’s paternal grandmother was Euphemia Campbell (the daughter of Dougall/Dougald/Dugald Campbell and Catherine/Kate McDougall). Euphemia was born either in Foley, Ontario, Canada, or in Michigan, U.S., to parents from Algoma, Ontario. The family’s “race” is listed as “Scotch” on the 1881 Canada Census. Catherine the daughter of Scottish parents, with her father having been named John MacDougall.

Roddy’s maternal grandfather was Ernest/Earnest Leroy Anderson (the son of James Henry Anderson and Narcissa/Laura Ellen Hunter). Ernest was born in Tekoa, Washington, U.S. James was born in Springfield, Missouri, and was of Swedish, English, Dutch, and more distant Scottish and Welsh, descent. He was the son of Andrew Berry Anderson, whose maternal grandfather was English; and of Adeline Elizabeth Dickens/Dickenson, whose father was also English. His “race” is listed as “Swedish” on the 1916 Canada Census, and “English” on the 1926 Canada Census. Roddy’s Anderson line traces back to his seven-time great-grandfather, Anders Andreas Jöransson, who emigrated to the U.S. from Sweden in the 1600s. Anders’s son, Ericus “Eric” Joransson Andersson/Anderson, was born in Delaware. Roddy’s great-grandmother Narcissa was born in Arkansas or Missouri. Her “race” is listed as “English” on the 1916 Canada Census, and “Dutch” on the 1926 Canada Census. She was the daughter of Thomas Hunter and Laura Hawkins.

Roddy’s maternal grandmother was Charlotte May Kuffner/Shankey (the daughter of Bart Kuffner and Mary Vobejda/Vobeyda). Charlotte was born in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. Bart emigrated to the U.S. from Austria, the son of Albert Kuffner and Mary Swetz. Mary was born in Wheatland, Minnesota, the daughter of Albert Vobejda/Vobeyda and Anna Machacek, who were from South Bohemia, Czech Republic.

Sources: Genealogies of Roddy Piper – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.geni.com

Roddy’s father on the 1926 Canada Census – https://familysearch.org

Roddy’s paternal grandparents, George Francis Toombs and Euphemia Campbell, on the 1881 Canada Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Roddy’s maternal grandmother, Charlotte May Kuffner/Shankey, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org