Ancestry of
Thomas Jefferson
3rd U.S. President and Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Who was Thomas Jefferson?
President Thomas Jefferson was born 13 April 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia, to Peter Jefferson and Jane Randolph. His father Peter Jefferson was a wealthy plantation owner whose lands were eventually passed on to Thomas. Thomas married a 22 year old widow named Martha Wayles Skelton on 01 January 1772.
Thomas Jefferson was actually born on 02 April 1743 according to the Julian calendar in use at the time. When the English adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1758, the date shifted forward 11 days so that today we observe Jefferson's birth date on 13 April.
Credited with drafting the Declaration of Independence, Thomas is recognized as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States along with President George Washington to whom he is related through their common ancestors of Ralph de Neville and Joan Beaufort.
During his first term as President, Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis to mount an expedition to the Pacific Coast through the recently completed Louisiana Purchase. Although both men grew up as neighbors in Virginia and their families were not unknown to each other, what they didn't realize was that they were also distant cousins through their common ancestors of Ralph de Neville and Joan Beaufort, who they also shared with President George Washington.
Thomas Jefferson died on 04 July 1826, on the same day as his friend and former political rival President John Adams. Probably unknown to both Jefferson and Adams was that Jefferson was related to Adams's son, President John Quincy Adams, through his wife Abigail Smith.
The famous family relationships of President Thomas Jefferson are numerous and include many notable figures from both American and European history. Famous for his own writing, Thomas counts numerous celebrated authors amoung his kin. His Royal connections go all the way back to Charlemagne in the 8th century, and to as recent as today with family relationships to both the bride and the groom of the recent royal wedding between Catherine "Kate" Middleton and Prince William, now the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge.
Some of the most recently added connections of famous kin for Thomas Jefferson
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
15th cousin 5 times removed
via Edward I, King of England
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
17th cousin 3 times removed
via Sir Richard de Clare
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
14th cousin 5 times removed
via Sir Hugh I de Audley
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
16th cousin 3 times removed
via Sir Hugh le Despencer
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
15th cousin 1 time removed
via Henry Plantagenet
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
17th cousin 3 times removed
via Sir Roger de Quincy
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
16th cousin 2 times removed
via Eudo la Zouche
Melville Fuller
8th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
18th cousin 1 time removed
via Sir William de Ferrers
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
19th cousin 1 time removed
via Isabel de Beaumont
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
13th cousin 5 times removed
via Hugh de Kevelioc
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
13th cousin 7 times removed
via Bertrade de Montfort
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
13th cousin 7 times removed
via Maud de St. Hilary
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
19th cousin 2 times removed
via William de Warenne
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
14th cousin 5 times removed
via John FitzGilbert (the Marshal)
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
14th cousin 3 times removed
via Sir William Longespee
Rev. John Whittingham
(c1616 - 1639)
Great Migration Immigrant 1637
13th cousin 3 times removed
via Alan la Zouche
View entire list of famous kin for Thomas Jefferson
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