A Star-Studded History: Celebrities with Noteworthy Ancestors

Who They Were: King of England
How They’re Related: 18th cousin of King Edward II

When you think of royalty, does your mind immediately go to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry? You’re not alone. While the two have dominated the media for quite some time, Markle isn’t the only famous American with ties to British royalty (and no, we’re not talking about Grace Kelly.) 

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Hilary Duff is the unlikely ancestor of King Edward II who reigned from 1307 to 1327. The star is the King’s 18th cousin, as well as the 18th cousin of the current reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II. That’s an impressive family tie if there ever was one!

Who They Were: The Inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula
How They’re Related: Distant Uncle

Robert Pattinson rose to fame playing teen heart-throb and vampire Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga. It’s likely that his acting talent landed him the role, but he could’ve thrown in a very impressive little extra on his resume: he’s related to the real Dracula. 

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We’re not talking about Bram Stoker’s creature of the night, but the man that inspired the story. Vlad the Impaler was said to be an awful, violent man that supposedly reveled in slaughtering innocents. Mild-mannered Pattinson thankfully falls far from the tree and is rumored to be a humble, kind actor, unlike his distant uncle. 

Who They Were: Famous Outlaw
How They’re Related: Distant Relative

British rocker Ozzy Osbourne was known for his eccentric antics on-stage as the lead singer of Black Sabbath. He famously once snorted a line of ants and bit the head off a live bat, but he’s never been accused of robbing banks or being the scourge of the Midwest like his distant relative, Jesse James. 

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James was such a famous figure at the time of the American Civil War that he went on to become a legendary icon. Along with his band of criminals, he pilfered cash from banks, trains, stagecoaches, and more in his time, despite only being a young man. 

Who They Were: King of France
How They’re Related: Distant Relative 

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Brooke Shields was everywhere modeling up a storm. Also a famous actress, Shields has had her fair share of adoring fans in her time. When she appeared on the American show Who Do You Think You Are? the starlet discovered that she was distant relatives with a number of royals, including King Henry IV of France.

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Although Shields had connections to many people of interest, her strongest ties are with ol’ King Henry, dubbed “Henry the Great.” As monarchs go, Henry was largely popular and improved the lives of his subjects…before he was assassinated, at least. 

Who They Were: Renowned Author
How They’re Related: 8th Cousin Twice Removed

Have you ever got so involved in your child’s homework that you’ve practically ended up doing it yourself? Cindy Crawford knows exactly how you feel. The model became so engrossed in a family history project that she ended up looking deep into her genealogy. She made some intriguing discoveries along the way. 

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Crawford’s grandmother was Ramona Hemingway, the 8th cousin of famed writer Ernest Hemingway. This makes Crawford his 8th cousin twice removed. The actress didn’t stop there, either. She’s also the 41st great-granddaughter of Roman Emperor Charlemagne. To quote Crawford, “Not too bad for a simple farm girl from Midwest potato-eating folk.”

Who They Were: Legendary Native American Tribe Leader
How They’re Related: Direct Descendant 

Remember that time when Armie Hammer starred as John Reid in 2013’s Lone Ranger? The movie might have been a clanger, but Hammer has more in common with Native Americans than you might think. It turns out that he is a direct descendant of Chief Kanagatucko, a Cherokee leader. 

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The chief is famous for being one of the first documented leaders of his people. He is remembered as being “cool-headed and patient with the more precipitate of the Cherokees around him. In short, he was the near-perfect embodiment of the Cherokee ideas about proper leadership behavior.” What a guy!

Who They Were: The Founder of Pennsylvania
How They’re Related: 8th Great-Grandfather

Meryl Streep is a phenomenal person. Not only is she a talented actress, but she’s a philanthropist, and as it turns out, a big deal in Pennsylvania. William Penn is Streep’s 8th great-grandfather on her mother’s side. 

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Penn founded the state of Pennsylvania (hence the name) and wasn’t the only ancestor of Streep to make his fortune in the US of A. Another of her distant grandfathers was one of the first Europeans to settle in Rhode Island. As far as Americans go, he was sort of a big deal. Clearly, taking charge is in Meryl’s blood which is why she’s done so well for herself.

Who They Were: Came to America on the Mayflower
How They’re Related: 9th Great-Grandfather

At the time of writing, the population of America is around 326 million. Out of this, only 35 million individuals are direct descendants of the original 130 passengers that came from England on The Mayflower in 1620. Jodie Foster is one of them. 

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Her 9th great-grandfather was none other than John Alden, who was one of the crew members on board the ship. Although originally hired to stay and help the colony for one year, Alden decided to remain and went on to have 10 children with his wife, Priscilla. If he had returned to England as planned. Foster may not exist! 

Who They Were: Accused of witchcraft
How They’re Related: 10th Great-Grandmother

Sarah Jessica Parker became a household name thanks to her role as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, but fans of Hocus Pocus remember her as the enticing witch, Sarah Sanderson. Bradshaw may be a slave to fashion like Carrie, but she has a lot more in common with Sarah than you might think. 

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The actress has links to Esther Elwell, one of the unfortunate women tried for witchcraft in 1692. Bradshaw has Elwell to thank for her entire existence as she is her tenth great-grandmother. The accused witch was one of the lucky ones as the court dissolved before she was tried.

Who They Were: 16th President of the United States
How They’re Related: Third cousins, four times removed

If you’re going to be related to a President, why not make it one of the greats? Not that Tom Hanks had any choice in the matter of course, but when he discovered his connection with Abraham Lincoln it was certainly a happy accident. 

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Hanks revealed that he is third cousins with the late President back in 2012 when he narrated a biographical movie about the icon’s assassination. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis portrayed the bearded leader in the picture, going on to scoop an Oscar for his efforts. Why didn’t Hanks play him since he’s technically blood-related? Apparently, he wasn’t tall enough. 

Who They Were: Legendary Feminist and Anti-Slavery Activist
How They’re Related: 4th Great-Great-Grandmother

Zooey Deschanel is a girl’s girl, so when she discovered she was related to feminist icon Sarah Henderson Pownall, she thought it was absolutely amazing. The actress found out while appearing on Who Do You Think You Are? 

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Pownall was a revolutionary woman that helped the Underground Railroad, hiding fugitives in her farm until they could safely reach Canada. In short, she was years ahead of her time and a beacon of hope to many. Who doesn’t want to be related to someone like that? Deschanel was understandably thrilled when she was told about the connection.

Who They Were: King of England
How They’re Related: 25th Great-Grandfather

Her fans call her Queen Bey, but do they know that there’s a little bit of truth to that moniker? As it turns out, Beyonce and Queen Elizabeth II are 25th cousins once removed, but the links to British royalty don’t stop there. 

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Beyonce’s 25th great-grandfather is none other than King Henry II of England. Liz and Beyonce have so much in common that they may as well swap crowns and be done with it. The singer and her husband Jay-Z are pretty friendly with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, too. Could this be why? 

Who They Were: Richest Man in America
How They’re Related: Great-Great-Great Grandfather

Anderson Cooper is an important figure as a journalist and broadcaster, but his roots are just as important. He is a direct descendant of the great Cornelius Vanderbilt, famed businessman, and shipping magnate. Vanderbilt is still classed as one of the richest Americans in history, but his reputation is less than complimentary. 

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Historians have noted that many of his contemporaries found him repellent and rude. According to H. Roger Grant, “While Vanderbilt could be a rascal, combative, and cunning, he was much more a builder than a wrecker…being honorable, shrewd, and hard-working.” Cooper isn’t short of a cent or two himself. 

Who They Were: Founder of New York Giants
How They’re Related: Great-Great-Grandfather

Rooney Mara is a talented actress, but she isn’t the first one in her family to find a great deal of success. In fact, Mara comes from an extremely prominent bloodline. Her great-great-grandfather was Tim Mara, founder of the New York Giants. Tim paved the way for the future of the sports industry. 
The tycoon left the Giants to his grandsons. Rooney later admitted that she didn’t have a football passion like other members of her family, which is why she pursued acting. Her sister, Kate, is also in the entertainment industry and has starred in shows like American Horror Story.

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