Paul Anka: Ethnicity, Biography, Family, Songs, and Net Worth

Few teen idols go on to write a signature song for Frank Sinatra, but Paul Anka did exactly that. Born in Ottawa to Lebanese-Canadian parents, Anka’s career has spanned more than six decades, from the 1957 hit “Diana” to penning “My Way” for Ol’ Blue Eyes. This article explores his ethnic heritage, family life, custody battles, and the questions fans still ask today.

Born: July 30, 1941 ·
Nationality: Canadian, American ·
Famous song written: “My Way” (Frank Sinatra) ·
Biggest hit: “Diana” (1957) ·
Number of children: Six ·
Net worth (estimated): $80 million

Ten key facts about Paul Anka at a glance:

Is Paul Anka Lebanese or Syrian?

Paul Anka’s family background

• According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Anka was born to Lebanese and Syrian parents who had immigrated to Canada.
• The Wikipedia biography states both parents were of Lebanese Christian descent, while also noting Anka said his ancestors came from Bab Tuma in Syria.
• A profile from Vintage Beirut, a Lebanese diaspora platform, specifies his father was Syrian-Canadian from Bab Tuma, Syria, and his mother was Lebanese-Canadian from Kfar Mechki, Lebanon.

Lebanese Canadian heritage

• Britannica describes Anka as a Canadian-born American singer and songwriter of Lebanese descent.
• German Wikipedia also notes he is the son of a Syrian and a Lebanese woman.
• Anka identifies as Lebanese-Canadian, reflecting his mother’s Lebanese heritage and Canadian upbringing.

The pattern: Anka’s father was born in Syria but of Lebanese ethnicity, while his mother was directly Lebanese — making “Lebanese-Syrian” a family reality, but Anka himself tends to emphasize the Lebanese side in public.

What happened to Paul Anka’s first wife?

Anne Anka’s marriage to Paul Anka

• According to Wikipedia, Anka married Anne de Zogheb on February 16, 1963.
• IMDb trivia notes they met while he was filming “The Longest Day” in 1962 and married in Paris.
• The marriage lasted 38 years, ending in divorce on October 2, 2000 (per Wikipedia).
• Anne was the mother of his five daughters: Amelia, Anthea, Alicia, Amanda, and Alexandra, according to IMDb.

Anne Anka’s death in 2017

• Anne Anka died in 2017 at age 75, according to multiple biographical sources.
• Her obituary was published in Los Angeles, where she had settled after the divorce.

Why this matters: Anne Anka stayed largely out of the spotlight during the marriage, and her quiet passing contrasts with the public drama around Anka’s subsequent custody case.

Why did Paul Anka get full custody of his son?

Custody battle details

• Wikipedia states that after divorcing his second wife, Anna Yeager, in 2010, Anka was awarded full custody of their minor son, Ethan.
• Legal blogs, such as Shea L. Burchill, P.C., have cited the mother’s legal issues as a factor, though specific court documents remain sealed.
• The case received media attention partly because of Anka’s celebrity status and the unusual full-custody award for a father in California family court.

Legal reasons for full custody

• The exact reasons are not fully public due to sealed family court records.
• Sources indicate the decision was based on the mother’s reported legal and personal difficulties rather than Anka’s wealth or status.

The implication: Anka won full custody not because he was a celebrity, but because the court determined the mother’s situation at the time — details of which remain private — didn’t support shared custody.

Where is Paul Anka living right now?

Current residence in California and Las Vegas

• According to IMDb trivia and real estate listings, Anka maintains homes in both California and Las Vegas.
• In 2022, he listed his California home for sale at $8.99 million, but records indicate he still owns property there.
• He currently resides primarily in Las Vegas, where he also performs regularly.

Sale of his home in 2022

• The California property was a custom estate in the upscale Los Angeles area.
• Anka’s shift toward Las Vegas reflects his ongoing touring schedule and residency-style performances in Nevada.

The trade-off: Las Vegas offers Anka both lower cost of living and proximity to his casinos and touring base, while California remains his anchor for family connections and business interests.

Who is the mother of Paul Anka’s five daughters?

Anne Anka as mother of daughters

• Anne Anka (née de Zogheb) is the mother of his five daughters, confirmed by both Wikipedia and IMDb.
• The daughters — Amelia, Anthea, Alicia, Amanda, and Alexandra — were raised primarily by Anne after the divorce.

Names of Paul Anka’s daughters

• His five daughters with Anne: Amelia, Anthea, Alicia, Amanda, and Alexandra.
• His sixth child, a son named Ethan, was born from his relationship with second wife Anna Anka (formerly Anna Yeager), according to TheFamousPeople.

What this means: Paul Anka’s five daughters are from a single marriage that lasted nearly four decades, giving him a large extended family that includes grandchildren and a much-younger half-brother for the daughters.

Who was Paul Anka to Frank Sinatra?

Songwriting collaboration

• Encyclopaedia Britannica confirms Anka wrote the English lyrics for “My Way,” which became Frank Sinatra’s signature song.
• Wikipedia notes the song was adapted from the French tune “Comme d’habitude” by Claude François and Jacques Revaux.
• The song was released in 1969 and spent 75 weeks on the UK charts, per Wikipedia.

Friendship and professional respect

• Anka and Sinatra had a close professional relationship that extended beyond “My Way.”
• Anka also wrote the theme song for “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” per Britannica, and “She’s a Lady” for Tom Jones.
• In concerts, Anka often pays tribute to Sinatra by performing “My Way,” keeping the collaboration alive decades later.

The catch: Anka’s biggest success as a songwriter came not from his own recordings but from writing a definitive song for Sinatra — a twist that defines his legacy more than any of his own chart-toppers.

“My Way” was a massive success for both Anka and Sinatra, becoming Sinatra’s signature song and one of the most recorded songs in pop history.

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Anka was born to Lebanese and Syrian parents who had immigrated to Canada.

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Timeline of Paul Anka’s life

The sequence of key dates in Anka’s career and personal life shows how a teen idol matured into a Vegas institution.

The timeline reveals a pattern: Anka’s biggest creative breakthroughs happened early, while his later decades were shaped by legal and personal transitions.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Paul Anka was born in Ottawa, Canada, on July 30, 1941 (Britannica).
• His father was of Lebanese descent, born in Syria (Britannica).
• His first wife was Anne de Zogheb, whom he married in 1963; she died in 2017 (Wikipedia).
• He won full custody of his minor son from second wife Anna Yeager (Wikipedia).
• He has five daughters with Anne Anka and one son, Ethan (IMDb; TheFamousPeople).
• He wrote “My Way” for Frank Sinatra (Britannica).

What’s unclear

• Specific breakdown between Lebanese and Syrian heritage: his father’s family was Syrian-born but of Lebanese ethnicity, leaving nuance in self-identification.
• Exact reason for full custody of son: legal records remain sealed, with only secondary sources citing the mother’s legal issues.
• Current precise residence: he maintains homes in both California and Las Vegas.

Paul Anka’s legacy: Teen idol, songwriter, and survivor

Paul Anka’s story is one of reinvention: from a 16-year-old with a number-one hit to a songwriter whose most famous creation belongs to someone else. For fans of classic pop and observers of celebrity longevity, the lesson is clear: Anka built a career not on one genre or decade but on adaptability — writing for Vegas stages, Broadway shows, and Sinatra himself. For the singer in Las Vegas, the choice is simple: keep performing, or let the legacy fade. Anka has chosen the stage every time.