Profile Text
Knopfler in 2014, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Mark Freuder Knopfler
Place of Birth: Glasgow, Scotland
Date of Birth: 12 August, 1949
Ethnicity: * father – Ashkenazi Jewish * mother – English, small amount of Scottish
Mark Knopfler is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and film score composer. He was the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for rock band Dire Straits. The band’s members also included his brother, singer and songwriter David Knopfler, and Hal Lindes .
His mother, Louisa Mary (Laidler), was English, from Blyth. His father, Erwin Knopfler, was a Hungarian Jew, from Miskolc, who was an architect and a chess player, and whose anti-fascist sympathies and Jewish parentage forced him to flee from his native Hungary in 1939. When he was seven, Mark’s family moved to Blyth, near Newcastle, North East England, his mother’s hometown.
Mark is married to British actress and writer Kitty Aldridge. He has two children with his former wife Lourdes Salomone; and two children with Kitty.
Mark’s paternal grandfather was Jozef/Joseph Knopfler (the son of Michael/Mihaly Knopfler and Maria Fischer). Jozef was born in Budapest. Mihaly was the son of Yosef Knopfler and Pessel Margulies.
Mark’s paternal grandmother was Selma/Seril Freuder (the daughter of Elchanan/Elkan Freuder and Julie/Jentel Stern). Elkan was born in Vienna, Austria. Julie was born in Pápa, Veszprém.
Mark’s maternal grandfather was Frederick James Laidler (the son of Frederick Charles Laidler and Mary Wilson). Mark’s grandfather Frederick was born in Bromley, London. Mark’s great-grandfather Frederick was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne, the son of Matthew Laidler and Ann Huntley. Mary was born in Choppington, Northumberland.
Mark’s maternal grandmother was named Margaret Hann/Hunn (the daughter of John Hann and Mary). Margaret was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne. John was born in Tweedmouth, Northumberland, the son of William Hann and Crompton Hardie Mitchel, who was from Eccles, Berwickshire, Scotland.
Sources: Genealogy of Mark Knopfler (focusing on his father’s side) – http://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Mark Knopfler (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.wikitree.com