Not all famous people from history crossed paths in books. Nope, a few of them were literally related, with blood ties & family links connecting people from all walks of life. Here are eight famous historical figures who were weirdly connected. Which family tie here do you think is the strangest one?
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Eleanor Roosevelt was Theodore Roosevelt’s niece
Sure, Eleanor Roosevelt was a First Lady, but she also grew up calling Theodore Roosevelt “Uncle Teddy.” Her dad was Theodore’s younger brother, Elliott. Eleanor did lose both of her parents rather young, and when she married Franklin Roosevelt in 1905, it was Uncle Teddy himself who gave her away at the ceremony.
Napoleon III was Napoleon I’s nephew
France used to be a country that kept things in the family. Napoleon III, born Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, was the son of Louis Bonaparte, who was Napoleon I’s brother. He spent years of his life as an exile, even escaping prison in 1846 & eventually, he took power as President in 1848, then as Emperor.
Nicholas II and George V were first cousins
The Russian Tsar & the British King were first cousins, as their mothers were sisters. They were daughters of King Christian IX of Denmark, making Nicholas II and George V family. In fact, the resemblance was so strong that people joked about it when they saw photos of them side by side. They often wore the same uniforms and had the same beard style, just to prove the point.
Franklin Pierce was related to Barbara Bush
Franklin Pierce is often remembered as one of the quieter presidents & he actually shares an ancestor with Barbara Bush. Both come from Thomas Pierce, who settled in Massachusetts back in the 1600s. As a result, Barbara Bush & her presidential family, husband George H. W. Bush & son George W., are distant cousins of Franklin.
Princess Diana was related to Winston Churchill
Sure, Diana Spencer married into history. But she was already connected to it. She and Winston Churchill both came from the Spencer-Churchill line, which is an aristocratic family that had been part of Britain’s upper ranks for centuries. Her father was the 8th Earl Spencer. He was part of the same family tree that also produced Churchill.
Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin D. Roosevelt shared a common ancestor
It’s weird how tangled Presidential family trees can get, and one good example is how Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin D. Roosevelt were cousins, far removed. This was through Jonathan Delano, a settler in early New England. In fact, the Delano line kept branching for generations until it connected these two men, each of whom was rather important to American history.
George Washington was related to Robert E. Lee
That’s not all for American historical figures. While Robert E. Lee didn’t have Washington’s blood running through his veins, he still ended up in the extended Washington family. George Washington Parke Custis was the president’s step-grandson & Lee’s father-in-law. Lee also lived at Arlington House, which Custis had built in memory of America’s first president.
Barack Obama and George W. Bush are distant cousins
Barack Obama’s family traces back to colonial Massachusetts and has a Bush connection. It turns out Obama and George W. Bush are 11th cousins, with a shared ancestor in Samuel Hinckley of Cape Cod. He lived in the 1600s. Of course, that’s not exactly close family, but enough to land them on the same family tree.
The following sources were consulted in the preparation of this article:
- Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project
- Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, 1808-1873
- George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: three royal cousins and the road to World War I
- Barbara Pierce Bush Biography
- Hautenville Cope Papers
- Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library
- Lee-Jackson Foundation collection
- Obama and Bush are Cousins
