What We Know about Trevor Noah's Parents: His Dad Owned a Restaurant and His Mom Raised Him

The fearless example set by Trevor Noah's parents gave him the gumption to take over from Jon Stewart as "The Daily Show" host in 2016 and when he unexpectedly announced he was leaving the show in 2022.

Due to the restrictive laws of apartheid South Africa, Trevor Noah's Xhosa mother and European father could not get married. However, his mother sometimes goes by Patricia Noah. His second comedy on Netflix, "Son of Patricia," is named in honor of his mother.

His parents worked hard to create a loving cocoon for their son, who could not spend time outdoors for fear that the authorities would take him away. On his final show on Comedy Central, the host thanked the black women who helped shape his world.

Why the Relationship between Trevor Noah's Parents Was Deemed a Crime

Trevor was born in 1984 in Johannesburg, South Africa, months before the state of emergency was enforced by the apartheid government in July 1985. This strong-arm move by the draconian regime was significant as Trevor was born to a European father and a Xhosa mother.

The segregated country's laws criminalized the fraternization of white and black people, so marriage was not an option for his parents. The comedian explained the title of his book "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood:"

"My parents broke that law, and I was a product of them breaking it. And so, in essence, I was born a crime."

His Dad Is a Restaurateur and a Professional Chef

Born in the 1930s with Swiss-German ancestry, Trevor's father, Robert Noah, is a chef and businessman. Before relocating to South Africa, he was a chef in Canada and New York City.

The chef opened the first integrated restaurant in Johannesburg during a time when black and white citizens were allocated separate benches.

He lost touch with his father for many years, and at his mom's encouragement, the "Son of Patricia" reconnected with Robert, who he tracked down in the coastal city of Cape Town via the embassy.

One of the most pertinent things his father taught him was how to get to know someone efficiently. After an absence of ten years, he tried to make up for the lost time by essentially interviewing his dad, who told his son that spending quality time together was a better way to go about it.

For his mother and her family, the Swiss profoundly impacted their financial views. The "Coming 2 America" actor said, "He taught us the importance of money and how to manage money."

In "I Wish You Would," the stand-up joked that he was unsure about his father's love for most of his life until he visited him in Switzerland: "No, he's just Swiss! They're all like that." He tried to impress Robert by learning German, but the octogenarian asked him to switch back to English.

Trevor Noah's Mom, Patricia Nombuyiselo, Defied Apartheid

Patricia Nombuyiselo lived her life in defiance of the apartheid state and taught her son how to mock them. He divulged on "The View" that he got his sense of humor from his mom and aspired every day to be as fearless as her.

Trevor got a stepfather when he was ten, with whom his mother had two sons. The stepfather was abusive towards his wife and stepchild. After they divorced in 1996, he shot Nombuyiselo multiple times and was imprisoned on an attempted murder conviction.

Nombuyiselo raised her son in the Roman Catholic Church in his youth. The devout parent took him to three services every Sunday. As of 2022, Ms. Patricia runs a real estate business, PN Noah Estates.

According to a news report, the matriarch fell foul with the South African Revenue Service in November 2022. The businesswoman received her final warning to pay back a little over R24 million, roughly $1.4 million in US currency.

Nombuyiselo warned him that if he fathered a child out of wedlock, he would have to "switch rooms." In other words, she'll keep the child, and he would have to move out.

The apartheid regime encouraged tribalism, creating hatred among Black people. The comedian experienced this as a child when a minibus taxi driver took offense to Nombuyiselo's mixed-race son and threatened to kill them. She threw Trevor out of the moving vehicle, cradled her baby son, and made the jump to safety.

Her mother, Frances Noah, died in May 2022 at 95. In a Twitter tribute, Trevor said that his grandmother's home in Soweto was a refuge for other women when they had nowhere to go and where the community congregated weekly to pray.

As he affectionately called her, his gogo had the best memory in the family and was the keeper of tales of the family's "greatest joys, losses, achievements, and milestones."

Growing up, Nombuyiselo warned him that if he fathered a child out of wedlock, he would have to "switch rooms." In other words, she'll keep the child, and he would have to move out. In a 2016 interview, the comedian revealed that his mom was now anxious about a grandchild.

Trevor Noah Wrote about His Childhood

The South African shared stories of his upbringing in his stand-up sets. While promoting his book that was published in 2016, "Born a Crime: Stories From a Southern African Childhood," Trevor Noah shared how his parents impacted his views on romantic relationships:

"My mother and father taught me that the labels we put on a relationship define a relationship less than the relationship itself."

The comedian took from their relationship that love can overcome all. The book became a bestseller and won twofold NAACP Image Awards and the James Thurber Prize for American Humor.

Lupita Nyong'o will portray his mother, Nombuyiselo, in the movie adaptation of the memoir. Trevor's production company, Ark Angel Productions, is co-producing the film with Mainstay Entertainment and the "Black Panther" actress.