Family Trees........ Did you find out you were related to someone famous/interesting

[glasfryn]

I went on to ANCESTRY 6 months ago and I am still finding people who I would never have imagined I was related to,all of my ancestors down to the 16th century stayed in and about the forest of Dean.
then one of them married an Arundel and his father was related to royalty
so far I have found that I am related to
William the Conqueror22nd GGF
King Fornjotur Kvenland (Viking King 160-250) 61st GGF
Alfred the Great King of England (849-899) 35th GGF
Flavius Valerius Marcian Roman Emperor (396-457)
most of the Plantagenet kings are GGF's
a smattering of Saints
A fair few that went to America and Australia of the latter some were forced to go
many executed (bill Mills hung at Yate jail Gloucester for stealing from the rich farmers of that area in his case 4 geese)
but the most interesting is
Hu Han Khan Yeh 71st GGF
this man was the leader of the Hun somewhere in Mongolia and spawned the royal line of Hun Kings including that of Russia

all this is very interesting ..............but I am still a pot less pensioner in Eastbourne

just an edit to say that most people have lots of ancestors who will be famous its just finding them I was lucky and found one that opened up my history

 

[Gazwag]

My Dad's brother found my Dad about 10-15 years ago, neither knew either existed.

Since then it appears I am related to pre-first world war ferret farm owners in Kent who transported the majority of ferrets used to keep the rats out of the trenches in France but left their fortune to some house maid or something or other.

Also two brothers on my fathers side broke into a pub one night and were found the next morning drunk out of their heads on the floor of the celler, they were convicted and transported to Australia.

 

[The Grockle]

I don’t know about famous but my great, great ect grandfather was Gaoler of God’s Tower in Southampton in the 18th century, there’s a couple of streets named after our surname to this day. His ancestors were heavily involved in piracy in Hampshire for a century or so before.

My Dad is forever telling me that my ancestors held relatively important roles in the military for almost two centuries, including assistant paymaster of the Crimean war and another great something Granddad was quite high up in the Army and fort in the fall of Peking, he apparently gave permission for soldiers to steal anything they wanted from locals, we still have silver kettles and opium pipes to this day. My Granddad was armed forces welterweight boxing champion 1929 too.

 

[glasfryn]

I don’t know about famous but my great, great ect grandfather was Gaoler of God’s Tower in Southampton in the 18th century, there’s a couple of streets named after our surname to this day. His ancestors were heavily involved in piracy in Hampshire for a century or so before.

My Dad is forever telling me that my ancestors held relatively important roles in the military for almost two centuries, including assistant paymaster of the Crimean war and another great something Granddad was quite high up in the Army and fort in the fall of Peking, he apparently gave permission for soldiers to steal anything they wanted from locals, we still have silver kettles and opium pipes to this day. My Granddad was armed forces welterweight boxing champion 1929 too.

you should go onto ANCESTRY as your ancestral history sounds really interesting

 

[The Grockle]

you should go onto ANCESTRY as your ancestral history sounds really interesting

My Dad and other relatives paid a fair amount of money to have the family tree and name researched and managed to go back to the 14th century, potentially further. Although there’s a few interesting bits, the bits I’ve mentioned are the more interesting. I’ll check that out though thanks.

One thing my Dad found that it’s fairly easy to find tenuous links to people but very difficult to prove them, unless your descendants come from the upper echelons of society or had military backgrounds.

I’d love to uncover some regal connections or other famous relatives but I’m sure they exist, I remember reading about James Blunt (pedestrian singer/songwriter) he can trace his family back to before the battle of Hastings due to the fact (himself included) all the males on one side of his family had fort in the British army! I bet his family tree makes interesting reading.

 

[Whitley Bayster]

I found out recently that I'm a direct male descendant of Robert De Blakeland who was born in 1265. He was a direct descendant of a Norman lord who arrived in 1066 and had a big estate which still exists in Calne Wiltshire (unfortunately its no longer in the family). Basically I'm a of French descent which is a bit of disappointment but at least explains why I'm a fantastic lover. My surname is Blake

 

[jameswestport]

Tom Crean

 

[glasfryn]

My Dad and other relatives paid a fair amount of money to have the family tree and name researched and managed to go back to the 14th century, potentially further. Although there’s a few interesting bits, the bits I’ve mentioned are the more interesting. I’ll check that out though thanks.

One thing my Dad found that it’s fairly easy to find tenuous links to people but very difficult to prove them, unless your descendants come from the upper echelons of society or had military backgrounds.

I’d love to uncover some regal connections or other famous relatives but I’m sure they exist, I remember reading about James Blunt (pedestrian singer/songwriter) he can trace his family back to before the battle of Hastings due to the fact (himself included) all the males on one side of his family had fort in the British army! I bet his family tree makes interesting reading.

Interesting just one person unlocked my family tree in the upper echelons and after speaking to a genealogist he did say to me once you get into the supposed upper echelons its hard to get out gentry looking after the gentry so to speak,royals marrying royals ect.
one very interesting fact I found out about my recent family my uncle on my mums side was also my dads step-brother, my father was a twin, and was born 1 year before his official birth certificate, Hmmmm! so all those words I called him were actually correct .

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Got back a reasonable way using ancestry censuses etc and a few links with other people who have their trees posted on there, so got back to 1700s.
Since then I have been taking individuals and researching their past. Great Grandfather died a Passendael, having been there less than 2 months, so I have been able to get his war record from the National Archives and pieced together his troop movements and the circumstances of his death, where he is buried in Belgium and where he is remembered on various monuments in Northumberland. I never really got into history at school, but when it is relevant to you, it can be quite an interesting challenge.

 

[glasfryn]

I found out recently that I'm a direct male descendant of Robert De Blakeland who was born in 1265. He was a direct descendant of a Norman lord who arrived in 1066 and had a big estate which still exists in Calne Wiltshire (unfortunately its no longer in the family). Basically I'm a of French descent which is a bit of disappointment but at least explains why I'm a fantastic lover. My surname is Blake

Norman actually and there is a huge difference also we could be distantly related

 

[glasfryn]

Got back a reasonable way using ancestry censuses etc and a few links with other people who have their trees posted on there, so got back to 1700s.
Since then I have been taking individuals and researching their past. Great Grandfather died a Passendael, having been there less than 2 months, so I have been able to get his war record from the National Archives and pieced together his troop movements and the circumstances of his death, where he is buried in Belgium and where he is remembered on various monuments in Northumberland. I never really got into history at school, but when it is relevant to you, it can be quite an interesting challenge.

this absolutely 1066 was just a date to me now I am reading huge amounts of books about it

 

[Brovion]

I haven't done any ancestral research myself, but I know I'm a direct descendent of Rob Roy Macgregor. My dad did a bit and was quite chuffed to confirm the fact (he'd often been told it when he was younger).

 

[Whitley Bayster]

Norman actually and there is a huge difference also we could be distantly related

Yes your right - phew! And the Normans were originally Vikings so its a Nordic blood line

 

[SeagullSongs]

David Beckham (second cousin once-removed).

Also, everyone for at least the last 15 generations has been completely English, despite having a French-sounding surname.
I think my surname originated in Norfolk, and has slowly moved round through Suffolk, Essex and Kent to Sussex.

 

[glasfryn]

Yes your right - phew! And the Normans were originally Vikings so its a Nordic blood line

William the Conqueror was know as the bastard king of England .............see my post above its runs in the family

 

[Brovion]

My wife's family have been featured in the current series of 'Who do you think you are'. She shares a common ancestor with Greg Wallace (I think that was his name, the bloke from Masterchef anyway). Her family come from a village called High Bickington in Devon, and one of Wallace's ancestors (who is also my wife's) came from there. Sadly she turned out to be a loony - which explains a lot. (Only joking dear, if you read this!)

(If any of you saw the episode he was driving around with a picture of her in his car. He thought as she'd had her photo taken she must be important).

 

[glasfryn]

My wife's family have been featured in the current series of 'Who do you think you are'. She shares a common ancestor with Greg Wallace (I think that was his name, the bloke from Masterchef anyway). Her family come from a village called High Bickington in Devon, and one of Wallace's ancestors (who is also my wife's) came from there. Sadly she turned out to be a loony - which explains a lot. (Only joking dear, if you read this!)

(If any of you saw the episode he was driving around with a picture of her in his car. He thought as she'd had her photo taken she must be important).

i DID SEE IT AND IT WAS THE BEST THIS SERIES SO FAR

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Yes your right - phew! And the Normans were originally Vikings so its a Nordic blood line

Keep meaning to do this...

My Grandfather was a local Anglican Vicar who had a book which I now own which traced his side of the family tree all the way back to 1066 to Ralph de la Pomerai who came over with William the Conqueror, and was rewarded with 57 manors in Somerset and Devon, and a castle still stands at Berry Pomeroy. Which makes me somewhat Viking stock.

My Grandmothers brother fought in Africa during the war and won a St Georges Cross while there parents came over from Germany and changed there name from schnauber to Shaw before or after the great war which I would love to know why switching from German to English and then there son fights against the Germans as they are not jewish as one would think.

Thats just my dads side.

All I know on my mothers side is she was a lets say not there, who was adopted by a family from Shoreham called Franklin.

All very intresting, but im sure most people have links to famous people.

 

[GreersElbow]

I'm considering doing this on Saturday, always wanted to trace my ancestors' lives.