You’ve probably seen the viral headlines or that famous story about a 12-year-old girl from California who spent months mapping out family trees. She claimed that all U.S. presidents except one are related through a single medieval king. It sounds like a conspiracy theory. Or a Dan Brown novel. But honestly, the truth behind why all presidents are related is a mix of simple math, massive datasets, and a little bit of genetic inevitability.
It’s wild to think about.
We like to believe the "American Dream" means anyone can grow up to be president. That the office is a meritocracy where a kid from a log cabin has the same shot as a billionaire’s son. But when you look at the pedigree of the men who have held the office, you start to see a recurring name: King John of England. Yes, the guy from the Magna Carta.
The Bridgey Galli Discovery
In 2009, a girl named Bridgey Galli made national news. She didn't just look at the big names like the Adams or the Bushes. She dug into the "common" ancestors. She eventually linked 42 of 43 U.S. presidents (at the time) to King John. The only outlier back then? Martin Van Buren. He was of Dutch descent, which kept him out of the British royal loop.
This isn't just a fun trivia fact. It points to a larger reality about how we view power and lineage in the United States. Even though we fought a war to get away from kings, our leaders often share the same "blue blood" we claimed to despise. Is it a secret club? Probably not. It's more about the math of "pedigree collapse."
Why the Math Makes it Inevitable
Let’s be real for a second. If you go back far enough, everyone is related. You have two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents. By the time you get back 30 generations—which is roughly the time of King John—you have over a billion slots in your family tree.
There weren't even a billion people on Earth back then.
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This means your ancestors were cousins. Many times over. Basically, if you have any Western European ancestry at all, there is a statistically high chance you are also related to King John. And George Washington. And maybe even the person sitting next to you at the coffee shop.
Geneticists like Adam Rutherford have spoken about this at length. In his book A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, he explains that by the time you go back 1,000 years, the entire population of Europe is essentially descended from the same pool of people. So, while the statement that all presidents are related is technically true, it’s also true for a huge chunk of the American population.
The Power of the "First Families"
While the math says we're all cousins, some are definitely "more related" than others. Take the 17th-century immigrants. A huge number of U.S. presidents trace their lineage back to a very small group of wealthy families who settled in Virginia and Massachusetts in the 1600s.
Think about the Randolphs. Or the Livingstons.
These weren't just random farmers. They were the "gentry." They had the resources to educate their children and the social standing to ensure they stayed in power. When we say all presidents are related, we’re often talking about these specific, concentrated pockets of influence.
- James Madison and Zachary Taylor were second cousins.
- FDR and Theodore Roosevelt were fifth cousins.
- Even Barack Obama and George W. Bush are tenth cousins.
It feels like a small world because, for the American political elite, it actually was. For a long time, the pool of people with the money and connections to run for high office was incredibly tiny. They married each other. They went to the same schools. They shared the same great-great-great-grandfathers.
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The Martin Van Buren Exception
As mentioned, Martin Van Buren is usually the one who breaks the streak. His parents were both Dutch. His first language wasn't even English—it was Dutch. Because his ancestry didn't go through the British Isles in the same way as the others, he doesn't fit the King John mold.
But what about the more recent presidents?
As America becomes more diverse, you'd think this pattern would break. It hasn't quite happened yet. Even presidents with diverse backgrounds often have one branch of the tree that winds its way back to the British peerage. It’s a testament to how dominant that specific gene pool was in early American history.
Is it a Conspiracy or Just Genealogy?
People love a good mystery. It's easy to look at a chart showing all presidents are related and think there's a shadowy group hand-picking leaders based on their DNA.
The reality is much more boring.
It’s about social capital. If your family has been in the "ruling class" for 300 years, you have access to better schools, better mentors, and better funding. You aren't being picked because of a "king gene." You're being picked because your family tree gave you a massive head start in a system that rewards longevity and legacy.
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Digging Into Your Own Royal Roots
If you want to see if you're part of this "presidential club," you don't need a professional genealogist anymore. Tools like Ancestry.com or FamilySearch have digitized billions of records.
- Start with the 1950 Census. It’s the most recent one available to the public.
- Look for "Gateway Ancestors." These are specific individuals in colonial America who are already known to have royal or noble lineages. If you can link your tree to one of them, the rest of the work is already done for you.
- Check the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS). They are basically the gold standard for presidential genealogy. They’ve published extensive books on the kinships of the presidents.
Honestly, you might be surprised. If your family has been in the U.S. for more than four or five generations and has roots in the UK, you’re likely a distant cousin to at least one person on that presidential list.
Beyond the British Isles
We are starting to see the narrative shift. As we look at the lineages of modern figures, the focus is moving away from just "Who is related to King John?" and more toward "How do these families maintain power over centuries?"
It’s not just about blood. It’s about the "Old Boys' Club" that spans generations.
The fascination with all presidents are related says more about us than it does about them. We want to believe in a special "leader" bloodline, even in a country founded on the idea that no such thing exists. We are a nation of rebels who are still obsessed with royalty.
What You Can Do Next
If this deep dive into presidential cousins has sparked your interest, there are a few ways to practically apply this knowledge:
- Research your own "Gateway Ancestor." Use a site like Wikitree to see if your lineage connects to any of the 200+ documented colonial settlers with royal ties.
- Visit the Smithshonian's "The American Presidency" exhibit. It offers a more nuanced look at the backgrounds of these men beyond just their DNA.
- Read "Ancestors of American Presidents" by Gary Boyd Roberts. This is the definitive academic source on the topic. It’s dense, but it’s the real deal.
- Map your own pedigree collapse. Go back five generations and see how many unique surnames you actually have. You’ll start to see how quickly the "relatedness" of humans becomes apparent.
The connections are there if you look for them. Whether it’s a "royal secret" or just the inevitable result of a small colonial population, the presidential family tree is one of the most fascinating maps of American history ever drawn.