Eyes on your ancestry

[Hollycat]

Do you have any famous ancestors or relatives? Who?

I have two, both of whom I am ashamed of, the first one, my great great (etc.) uncle was Robert E Lee
The other was known as a great man by most, and still is, but he experimented a LOT with other men and cheated on his wife. To give you a hint who my last name is Kennedy.

[Rase]

Grandparents on my dad's side can trace their lineage to Robert the Bruce (the fellow who freed Scotland from English rule in the 1300's and ruled as King for some time). Father's adopted though, so I don't have such a claim. On my mom's side there have been important people within our native tribe up in Alaska, but no one famous or anything.

[Pheesh]

Um, one half of my family has Sicilian mafia ties I believe. I dunno if there's any 'famous' relatives though.

[Hollycat]

Um, one half of my family has Sicilian mafia ties I believe. I dunno if there's any 'famous' relatives though.

Infamous perhaps? that works too.

[Shorty]

My insane grandmother says that we're descendants of Joseph Smith. But then again, every mormon I know claims that.

Other than that, I have no famous relatives that I'm aware of.

[Bunny]

Do you have any famous ancestors or relatives? Who?

I have two, both of whom I am ashamed of, the first one, my great great (etc.) uncle was Robert E Lee
The other was known as a great man by most, and still is, but he experimented a LOT with other men and cheated on his wife. To give you a hint who my last name is Kennedy.

Through whom?

I don't have any famous relatives that I know of. I barely know anything about my genealogy except that I'm Polish.

[Polnareff]

I don't think I have any famous relatives, but my dad was kind of a local hero, having helped build a lot of the stuff in and around Columbus.

Our family knows some famous people though. For instance my mom lived in Alabama and was friends with Charles Barkley before he ended up becoming a big shot. My aunt knew Bill Withers. That's about it. :V

I am black/Native American. Most people online don't expect me to say that when I tell them though (after they ask me what ethnicity I am).

[Rantz]

Svante Arrhenius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svante_Arrhenius) was my paternal grandmother's paternal grandfather. He won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, and if you've studied physics or chemistry you are not entirely unlikely to have read about him or his work. He was also a racist, but what can you do.

There's also a group of prominent scientists and explorers from the Nordenskiöld family, the two major names being Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Erik_Nordenski%C3%B6ld) ("Swedish baron, geologist, mineralogist and arctic explorer" who conducted the Vega expedition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vega_(ship))) and Gustaf Nordenskiöld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustaf_Nordenski%C3%B6ld) ("first to study scientifically the ancient Pueblo ruins in Mesa Verde"). Gustaf was, if I remember correctly, my paternal grandmother's maternal grandfather.

There are a bunch of other names in those families that you could read about pretty easily if you were interested for some reason, but those are the big shots I guess.

[Madame Adequate]

ASHAMED of being related to ROBERT E. LEE?

Some people, I don't even know.

Anyway, famous family; Ernst Öpik - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_%C3%96pik)

[Shlup]

My grandpa has a binder in his house that has my family tree laid out for several centuries. It has a few famous people in there, like French royalty or some crap. Honestly, once we get this many generations away I expect thousands upon thousands of people can claim the same. For goodness sake we have random Americans being all "I'm Kate Middleton's fifteenth cousin!"

My nana, though, has been in a few movies. That's famous-ish. And my Pa had a cameo in the opening of Kentucky Fried Movie. And my dad and uncles used to do commercials. That's almost relevant.

[Breine]

As far as I know I'm not related to anyone famous. But, apparently one of my grandfather's brothers where one of the first transgendered people in Denmark. That's pretty cool.

But as for actual famous relatives.. I've got no idea.

[escobert]

Hannibal Hamlin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannibal_Hamlin) I'm related to this guy

[Shiny]

Seeing as how most of my ancestors were illiterate slaves, no. The only thing cool is that my great great great Grandmother was the daughter of a Cherokee chief. I haven't researched the Italian part of my family to know who is even a part of it. There was some sort of scandal involved, so the family doesn't really talk about the Italian side.

[fire_of_avalon]

Seeing as how most of my ancestors were illiterate slaves, no. The only thing cool is that my great great great Grandmother was the daughter of a Cherokee chief. I haven't researched the Italian part of my family to know who is even a part of it. There was some sort of scandal involved, so the family doesn't really talk about the Italian side.
Which band and which chief? If you don't know that, what part of GA, AL, TN or NC is your family from and we can probably figure it out! The oral tradition and lineage were really important to the Cherokee so you should be able to chart it pretty easily.

(Also, I like Cherokee history if you can tell.)

I am the all American mutt. I have no famous ancestors that I know of. I did a free trial on ancestry.com and got a really long way with one family line, but the other lines kind of died out. I think it's mostly because ancestry relies on census information and I'm not a very good genealogist.

[Shorty]

Shiny, I've got Cherokee blood too! I've been told we're 1/16th, which is apparently enough to grant you to the government scholarships and stuff (white guilt). I found the name of who I was related to once but we needed to get a copy of her ID card or something, and it seemed impossible to acquire.

I also have a shoe-in for Italian citizenship but there's like a two year waiting line so mer.

[fire_of_avalon]

In order to gain government benefits you actually have to be an official member of the Eastern or Western bands tribe. To do that you have to prove you descended from an official member of the tribe, but you don't need ID cards or anything. Census records, hospital records and other run of the mill things can be helpful.

Welcome to the Cherokee Heritage Documentation Center (http://cherokeeregistry.com/) that website should help both of you quite a bit.

[Shorty]

foa is clearly a descendent of Einstein. <3

[Polnareff]

Seeing as how most of my ancestors were illiterate slaves, no. The only thing cool is that my great great great Grandmother was the daughter of a Cherokee chief. I haven't researched the Italian part of my family to know who is even a part of it. There was some sort of scandal involved, so the family doesn't really talk about the Italian side.
Which band and which chief? If you don't know that, what part of GA, AL, TN or NC is your family from and we can probably figure it out! The oral tradition and lineage were really important to the Cherokee so you should be able to chart it pretty easily.

(Also, I like Cherokee history if you can tell.)

I am the all American mutt. I have no famous ancestors that I know of. I did a free trial on ancestry.com and got a really long way with one family line, but the other lines kind of died out. I think it's mostly because ancestry relies on census information and I'm not a very good genealogist.

In my case, my mom came from Asheville, Alabama (or was it Birmingham? I don't remember). Most of her relatives were born in or around that area.

All my mom told me is that we're part Cherokee. She probably couldn't elaborate much more on it since my grandma on my mom's side is dead and my mom never knew her father.....

[Jessweeee♪]

I found an important botanist that has my last name and looks a lot like my grandfather. He discovered many species of trees.

[Cuchulainn]

never done the leg work myself to back it up but me da's family moved up here from cork in the early 20th century from limerick and claim that Michael Collins was a relation. smurf knows to be honest I doubt it's true, however I'd be extremely proud if it were true though. great great man.

On my Ma's side there were just soldiers & soldiers and more soldiers. Irish cannon fodder for the crown.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=60616

[Jiro]

Well my grandmother on dad's side is way into tracing family lineage so I have a document somewhere with my family tree going back about 10 generations.

Can't remember much except one of my ancestors was named Ephraim. How fucking sweet is that name?

If I remember correctly I have some sort of ties to either Ned Kelly or Ben Hall, two famous bush rangers.

[Madame Adequate]

Oh, and my step-dad's ancestor was Washington's commander, before Washington was a traitor.

[Carl the Llama]

<TABLE border="4"bordercolor="white"bgcolor="black"cellpadding="4"><TR><TD bordercolor="blue">My family has its own crest: http://www.theminters.co.uk/johnspages/kent%20arms.jpg

And a website detailing the long long history of my ancestry The Minters of Kent: Minter Exchange (http://www.theminters.co.uk/johnspages/minters_of_kent.php)

here is a little snippet from my background:

The Folkestone Minters are among the more interesting Minter families. At present the head of the family is treated as being Leonard Minter whose dates are unknown but whose first child was born about 1607. From an early date Minters were important people in the town, several having served as mayor and others as jurats. Early generations of the family were mainly involved with the sea as fishermen and mariners; later on family members became butchers, bakers, solicitors and surgeons. Among the more colourful sons were John who lived for many years in Holland and owned a boat, the 'Vrei Brodiers' (Four Brothers), which was involved in a smuggling incident in 1823; and John Moolenburgh Minter who became a physician to Queen Victoria.
As with many families, the 19th century saw a dispersal and members of the family found their way to London and Australia.

Physician to Queen Victoria yep, Doctor of the Queen ^^</table>

[Freya]

I guess i'm related to Will Rogers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Rogers) on my mothers side of the family. That's also where my Cherokee comes from. I need to apply for my card but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. My mom has hers. According to the registration i'm less than what I actually am. My ancestor was full blooded but registered less because her husband was ashamed of her so he had her only register enough to be able to get a little bit of free land. Sucks for me cause I get less funding xP

Otherwise my heritage is German and who knows what that side of the family is tied up in.

[Rantz]

<TABLE border="4" bordercolor="white" bgcolor="black" cellpadding="4"><TR><TD bordercolor="blue">My family has its own crest: http://www.theminters.co.uk/johnspages/kent%20arms.jpg</TD></TR></table>

Mine too! Though ours isn't as cool:

http://www.riddarhuset.se/jsp/admin/archive/weaponarchive/Horn%20af%20Rantzien_K1910A%202010.png

[Hollycat]

My family crest is a griffen

[blackmage_nuke]

Heritage isnt important to me, regaurdless of what my ancestors did, I will be the famous one with whom my descendance will name drop with pride, and to which my ghost will disaprove of them being proud of something silly like heritage.

[NorthernChaosGod]

My family crest is a beer bottle.

[Loony BoB]

Adam and Eve? :p Depends on how far back you go, I suppose. I don't know of anyone famous/infamous, but then, I don't know much of my ancestry in the first place.. I do know that my Scottish clan is Douglas, and they were beastly. So yay for that, I guess!

[Carl the Llama]

<TABLE border="4"bordercolor="white"bgcolor="black"cellpadding="4"><TR><TD bordercolor="blue">
My family crest is a beer bottle.

A beer bottle that Darth Vader Peed in? xD</table>

[Laddy]

I'm loosely related to Sir Francis Bacon and Hitler, apparently. :colbert:

[LunarWeaver]

Not that I know of. Although my pops was adopted right from the get go. For all I know I'm related to Fabio. Or one of you, if you find yourself famous because you come up on Google.

[Peegee]

It's pedantic but as we are all related, in theory everybody who is famous is related to me.

But in terms of the last few generations I wouldn't know - I don't ask a lot of questions.

Speak of 'don't ask a lot of questions' A lot of really old relatives of mine used to be Triad...what's the term you guys use: loan sharks.

Yep. They don't act like it but my dad told me and I was like OooOOOOOooo

[Rantz]

I'm loosely related to Sir Francis Bacon and Hitler, apparently. :colbert:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/729269/Images/baconsealofapproval.png

[Peegee]

Adam and Eve? :p

Y-chromosomal Adam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y-chromosomal_Adam)
Mitochondrial Eve - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve)

[Shauna]

Being Scottish, I have direct lineage to William Wallace, obviously.


But 4srs, I don't think I have anything famous going on in my history, but who knows! I haven't investigated it. :p

[NorthernChaosGod]

<TABLE border="4"bordercolor="white"bgcolor="black"cellpadding="4"><TR><TD bordercolor="blue">
My family crest is a beer bottle.

A beer bottle that Darth Vader Peed in? xD</table>

The one I'm going to smash over your head. :colbert:

[Cuchulainn]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQK7a7fdSXrn6odri7rYucm7CKGsD58yRu6npE1kRUAPdKCUrX&t=1

Me crest. It's on my back in ink.


i seen in QI that almost everyone in England can trace their family back to Richard The Lionheart. If you go back far enough you family tree is that widfe & extensive it literally becomes irrelevant.

[fire_of_avalon]

Pics?

[Carl the Llama]

<TABLE border="4"bordercolor="white"bgcolor="black"cellpadding="4"><TR><TD bordercolor="blue">

<TABLE border="4"bordercolor="white"bgcolor="black"cellpadding="4"><TR><TD bordercolor="blue">
My family crest is a beer bottle.

A beer bottle that Darth Vader Peed in? xD</table>

The one I'm going to smash over your head. :colbert:

My dear man, you would first need to catch me *runs* haaaaahahaha</table>

[DMKA]

My grandfather's mother was the daughter of a Mexican crime lord, if that counts for anything.

Aside of that, I am a filthy heritageless American and therefore have no idea.

[Jiro]

Get on my back KD and I will carry you far away from the mexico

[Loony BoB]

i seen in QI that almost everyone in England can trace their family back to Richard The Lionheart. If you go back far enough you family tree is that widfe & extensive it literally becomes irrelevant.
I've heard a similar story regarding Genghis Khan and everyone alive today. I'm kind of sceptical about that, though. xD

Also, QI. :up: Awesome show.

[Shattered Dreamer]

Henry Grattan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Grattan)

I'm related to this dude. He is famous for opposing the Act Of Union (check your Irish & English history children)

[Laddy]

I'm largely French and German.

Guess which one shows~!

[black orb]

>>> All the ancestors or relatives I know are just nobodies.. so no.:luca:

[Citizen Bleys]

I've heard a similar story regarding Genghis Khan and everyone alive today. I'm kind of sceptical about that, though. xD

Thunder-stealing bastard, that's what I came to post.

In my case, though, it's almost certainly true that I'm related to Batu Khan--but Batu Khan's father Jochi is of questionable parentage, since Genghis's wife Bortei was kidnapped and raped by Merkits at about the right time for Jochi's father to be one of them instead of Genghis himself.

Personally, I think Jochi was truebred, but I'm hardly an objective source.

[Pike]

I'm directly descended from both William the Conqueror and Charlemagne. (This is clearly why I'm good at strategy vidya gaems.)

Slightly more recently, I'm also directly descended from a guy who was apparently best-of-bros with Czar Nicholas II, to the point that the Czar knocked on his door in the middle of the night during the Bolshevik Revolution and told him and his family to get out of dodge; and from the Breeds who owned Breed's Hill (you may know it as Bunker Hill) during the American Revolutionary War.

Oh! Also the guy who was killed in Shakespeare's Macbeth, if I recall correctly.

My mom used to do tons of genealogical work so I know a lot of random stuff about my family tree. I love how all-over-the-place it is. :3

[Shiny]

Seeing as how most of my ancestors were illiterate slaves, no. The only thing cool is that my great great great Grandmother was the daughter of a Cherokee chief. I haven't researched the Italian part of my family to know who is even a part of it. There was some sort of scandal involved, so the family doesn't really talk about the Italian side.
Which band and which chief? If you don't know that, what part of GA, AL, TN or NC is your family from and we can probably figure it out! The oral tradition and lineage were really important to the Cherokee so you should be able to chart it pretty easily.

(Also, I like Cherokee history if you can tell.)

I am the all American mutt. I have no famous ancestors that I know of. I did a free trial on ancestry.com and got a really long way with one family line, but the other lines kind of died out. I think it's mostly because ancestry relies on census information and I'm not a very good genealogist.
North Carolina! All of my dad's side of the family is from either from Virginia or North Carolina, so it has to be that one. Everyone's families seem to say that they're Cherokee and related to the Chief so I doubt the authenticity of that especially because every time I mention it to her she brings up Pocahantas. I dunno wtf.

To be honest I think it's the thing when people have light skin people in black families to say they're part Cherokee to cover up rape. It's like we all know what happened during slavery. My mom's side, they're light skinned out of choice. We love Italians. *shrug*

[War Angel]

I am of the line of King David.