Is it common for people to trace their ancestry to nobility?
My tree keeps finding more kings that I'm related to, and this seems too good to be true. This happens on both of my parents' sides. William Shakespeare has also been tied to my roots. I ran out of room on my notepaper writing down the number of Kings the tree claims I am related to. Has anyone else run into this?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Uce4fG4R0Answers
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@kennethlamb3 kennethlamb3
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Kenneth
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Short Answer: 'Yes', IF, you are 'lucky' enough - it certainly can be a surprise.
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And, if, your "Ancestral" lines are "Big" enough ...
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Take a 'lowly' "peasant", like me - from "Downunder" ...
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I am connected to the, English; and, Scottish, "Nobility", through some of my "Ancestral" lines.
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"Queen Elizabeth II" is a direct "Cousin"; as, are many of her lineage.
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As are many of the, Kings; Queens; and, Nobility, of Scotland.
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Plus, the Kings; Queens; and, Nobility, of the OLD "Franks".
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But ...
That said ...
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NOT "All" are that lucky ...
Especially, if your "Ancestral" lines are not that extensive ...
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Consider yourself ONE of the 'lucky' FEW ...
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As an aside ...
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IF, you have not already; THEN, if you really WANT to 'see' WHO you are linked/connected to in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' ...
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Can I humbly suggest that a place where you should be able to 'See' your "Relationship" with, "Famous People"; and, many, "Others"; PLUS, you can ALSO "Print" the connections/links between you and them is through (BYU) "RelativeFinder" ...
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(BYU) "RelativeFinder" digs (pun intended) a lot DEEPER in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', than 'FamilySearch' does.
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(BYU) "RelativeFinder" is one of the "Third Party" Applications that "Certified" to work with "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
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BYU = Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah, USA (ie. the Church University).
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From the "Family History Technology Laboratory", of the "Computer Science" Department.
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Here is direct link to "RelativeFibder"
https://www.relativefinder.org/#/main
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."RelativeFinder" has MANY 'Bells and Whistles', that you might find useful.
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Apart from "Famous People" and "Others" ...
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(BYU) "RelativeFinder" has some interesting options ...
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There is an option to see if there is a 'Connection' between yourself and a "Deceased" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
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.There is an option to see if there is a 'Connection' between two (x2) "Deceased" individuals/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'
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.There is an option to see if there is a 'Connection' between ("Living" - Users/Patrons) Friends in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
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.IF, you have not, THEN, give it a go ...
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Magic.
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Enjoy.
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I hope this helps.
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Brett
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ps: Oh, sorry, I forget to add ... Your "Royalness" ... ha ha
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Wow! Thank you so much for the response. I'm checking this out now
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Yes, same here. I have several different lines on both father's and mother's side directly connected to English, Scottish, and other European royalty. It is a bit shocking at first, but when you think about the math it's not that surprising. According to the world tree Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitane are my 28th great grandparents. But if you do the math, everybody has over 500 million possible pairs of 28th great grandparents, so the odds that one or more of them are royalty would seem to be pretty good. If you go back far enough in your tree, you may find Roman emperors, Antony and Cleopatra, and other figures from antiquity. I personally don't put much stock in connections going back 1500+ years, but they are interesting nonetheless.
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Brett, thanks so much for this info. on Relative Finder. Fascinating!
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@AndyClaybrook AndyClaybrook
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Andy
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I so am glad, that someone, got something, from my ('verbose') 'rants' ...
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'Yes', ( BYU ) "RelativeFinder" is something else ...
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Once, I was introduced to it, I could not (and, cannot) help; but, promote its use to others ...
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[ By the way: I am not associated with ( BYU ) "RelativeFinder", just an appreciative User/Patron, from "Downunder" ...]
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My Wife and I, either, "Manage"; or, "Contribute" to, some of the "Groups" there ...
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A project I am currently working on, is a group for, "Victoria Cross" (VC) Medal recipients.
[ ie. "British" Commonwealth; as opposed to, (USA) "Medal of Honour" ]
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So far, I have added over 560 to the list ...
ALL, already, in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' ...
[ And, "Merging"/"Combining" a few individuals/persons along the way ... ]
I still have some to add; but, getting there ...
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I am a Member of the Church; and, ( BYU ) "RelativeFinder" has been a, great and simple, "Tool", to get Members 'reinvigorated'; especially, if their "Ancestral" lines in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' are extensive enough.
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Enjoy ...
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As an aside ...
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I have requested the creation, of a 'Group', here in this Forum, for those using ( BYU ) "RelativeFinder".
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Oh; and, by the way ...
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I was going to 'contribute' to your 'Post', back in December last year; but, felt that the 'naysayers', would 'hound me down' (as, they have done so, before) ... I am so sorry, that I did not.
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Brett
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Brett, no worries! I'm looking forward to exploring what that website can do.
Cheers!
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Yeah I'm a 6th great grandchild of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Their daughter married my 5th great grandfather, John Paul Jones. Revolutionary war hero and founding father of the US Navy. Apparently King Louis VI from the 11th century as well. Surely there are many more English,Welsh,
Scottish aristocrats in my family, just can't figure out how to puzzle out the titles and names.
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I know this is an old post but yes I to am lucky enough to have that particular surname that not only can I trace my family for 800 years+ On Guernsey but I am now on my 10th ancestry line also leading to aristocracy and nobility leading back hundreds of years, starting from around 1600s back including kings, queens, sirs, lady’s, barons, baronesses Moguls and more, the place where I was born, a family that has lived in this Manor House there, for best part of 900 years ( that family are direct ancestor to the Plantagenet Dynasty) I have just found out I am a direct descendant from them to, which was really shocking, so just to say what a lot on here are saying if your surname is right you probably are it is what it is, can’t change the facts
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To be a descendant of royalty is mathematically quite common. If you research descending from royalty, you will find articles which tell you that males of European lineage have almost a 100% of being descended from Charlemagne, and males with Asian lineage have the same probability of being descended from Genghis Khan.
You also have to understand that using FamilySearch lineage to trace your ancestry to high born people - or royalty - of the middle ages involves a lot of speculation. Rigorous standards of proof for connections that far back can be the stuff of PhD dissertations and increasingly, Y-DNA experts. I myself use such findings on my family lines as a hook to teach my family about history, and I tell relatives to keep in mind that that our lineage to famous people in history is not actually proved.
Having said that, I have been known to send out "Happy Anniversary of Battle of Hastings" and "Happy Anniversary of Battle of Bosworth" emails to large groups of relatives and in-laws.
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Do keep in that the same mathematics that show the high percentage of anyone with European heritage are descended from royalty also shows that they are also descended from everyone alive in Europe at the same time. There really is not much to brag about being a descendant from a king when one is just as much a descendant of the lowliest pauper in his kingdom.
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