If you’ve ever stared at a history textbook and wondered why two guys named Roosevelt dominated the 20th century, you aren't alone. It’s a mess. People usually assume they were father and son. Or maybe brothers. Honestly, the real answer to how are Teddy and FDR related is a bit more like a complicated logic puzzle than a straight line.
They were fifth cousins.
That sounds distant, right? Like someone you might see at a wedding once every decade and forget their name by the time the cake is cut. But in the world of New York "old money" and high-stakes politics, that distance didn't matter nearly as much as the name itself. They were both part of the Roosevelt clan, but they belonged to two different branches that lived on opposite sides of the Hudson River. Teddy was an Oyster Bay Roosevelt. Franklin was a Hyde Park Roosevelt.
The story gets weirder, though. It isn't just a story of distant cousins sharing a last name and a penchant for the presidency. It’s a story of a wedding where the President of the United States stole the spotlight from the groom, a political rivalry that split a family, and a woman named Eleanor who acted as the literal bridge between these two powerful men.
The split in the Roosevelt family tree
To understand the connection, you have to go back to the 1640s. Claes Maartenszen van Rosenvelt landed in New Amsterdam (now New York City). He’s the "OG" Roosevelt. His grandsons eventually split the family into two distinct legacies. Johannes stayed in the city and eventually founded the Oyster Bay branch—Teddy’s side. Jacobus moved upstate and founded the Hyde Park branch—Franklin’s side.
By the time Teddy and Franklin were born, the two branches were socially connected but politically divergent. Teddy’s side were Republicans. Franklin’s side? Staunch Democrats.
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Growing up, Franklin absolutely idolized Teddy. Imagine having a fifth cousin who is literally the most famous person on the planet. Teddy was the Rough Rider. He was the guy who got shot in the chest and finished his speech anyway. For a young, wealthy kid like FDR, Teddy wasn't just a relative; he was the blueprint for how to be a "Great Man." Franklin spent his entire early career basically "cosplaying" as Teddy. He went to Harvard. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He ran for Vice President. He even wore the same style of pince-nez glasses.
It’s almost a little cringey when you look at the parallels. But it worked.
The Eleanor Factor: When cousins marry cousins
If you think the "fifth cousin" thing is the end of it, wait until you hear about Eleanor. This is where the question of how are Teddy and FDR related gets truly tangled.
Eleanor Roosevelt was Teddy Roosevelt’s favorite niece. Her father, Elliott, was Teddy’s brother. This makes Eleanor and Teddy very closely related—uncle and niece.
Franklin and Eleanor were also cousins. Specifically, they were fifth cousins, once removed. When they decided to get married in 1905, it wasn't seen as "scandalous" in the way we might think today. In those upper-class circles, keeping the money and the name within the family was actually pretty common.
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The wedding was held on St. Patrick’s Day. Teddy Roosevelt was the sitting President at the time. Since Eleanor’s father had passed away, Teddy walked her down the aisle. You can only imagine the scene. The most powerful man in the world walks his niece to the altar to marry his distant cousin. According to family lore, as soon as the ceremony was over, the guests completely ignored the bride and groom and flocked to Teddy. He was the center of gravity. Franklin was just the guy who married the President’s niece.
This marriage did something huge: it fused the two branches of the family back together. It gave Franklin a direct, intimate link to the Oyster Bay legacy that he never would have had otherwise.
A rivalry that lasted decades
You might think the Oyster Bay Roosevelts were thrilled to see "Cousin Frank" following in Teddy’s footsteps. You’d be wrong.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Teddy’s daughter and a legendary Washington wit, absolutely loathed the idea of Franklin using the Roosevelt name to push Democratic policies. She famously called him "one-third mush and two-thirds Eleanor." The Oyster Bay side felt like Franklin was a "maverick" or even a "traitor" to the family’s Republican roots.
They saw him as an impostor.
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When FDR ran for President in 1932, the Republican Roosevelts campaigned against him. Teddy Jr., who had his own political ambitions, was particularly bitter. He felt like Franklin was "stealing" the brand. Yet, the public didn't care about the family squabble. They saw the name Roosevelt and they thought of strength, reform, and the "Square Deal." Franklin leaned into that. He took Teddy’s "Big Stick" energy and turned it into the "New Deal."
Breaking down the differences
- Teddy (TR): Republican. Progressive. Trust-buster. Conservationist. Lived for the "strenuous life."
- Franklin (FDR): Democrat. Liberal. Architect of the New Deal. Wartime leader. Used the radio (Fireside Chats) to talk to the people.
- The Shared DNA: Both believed the government should actively help the common man. Both were incredibly charismatic. Both survived massive physical challenges (Teddy’s asthma/near-assassinations and Franklin’s polio).
Why the relation matters today
When we ask how are Teddy and FDR related, we aren't just asking about a genealogy chart. We’re asking how the American presidency was shaped by a single family's obsession with public service.
The Roosevelt name became a shorthand for "The Government is here to help." Whether it was Teddy creating National Parks or Franklin creating Social Security, the family philosophy was consistent: the "forgotten man" deserved a fair shake.
It’s also a lesson in the complexity of American aristocracy. The Roosevelts were as close to royalty as the U.S. gets, yet they were the ones who dismantled many of the privileges of the ruling class. They fought each other, they married each other, and they defined the 20th century.
Honestly, the Hyde Park vs. Oyster Bay feud is a movie waiting to happen. It has everything: betrayal, stolen spotlights, and two men who refused to be anything less than the main character in American history.
Step-by-Step Guide to Verifying Roosevelt History
If you want to dig deeper into this saga without getting lost in the weeds of 19th-century census records, here is how you can verify these details for yourself or a research project:
- Visit the National Park Service sites: Go to Sagamore Hill (Teddy’s home) and Springwood (FDR’s home). The rangers there live for the specific, gritty details of the family feud.
- Check the FDR Library archives: Their online database has digital copies of letters between Eleanor and "Uncle Ted." It’s the best way to see the personal side of the political giants.
- Read "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History" by Ken Burns: If you have the time, the documentary and accompanying book are the gold standard for understanding the fifth-cousin dynamic.
- Look at the 1905 Wedding Records: Search for the New York Times archives from March 1905. The reporting on Teddy "giving away" the bride is fascinatingly detailed.
- Identify the Branches: Always remember: Oyster Bay = Republican/Teddy and Hyde Park = Democrat/Franklin. If you keep that straight, the rest of the history falls into place.
The Roosevelt relationship isn't just a footnote; it’s the backbone of modern American politics. Understanding that they were distant cousins who became a political dynasty through marriage and ambition helps make sense of why our government looks the way it does today.