Royal Descent
Encyclopedia
A royal descent is a lineal descent from a monarch. Royal descent is sometimes claimed as a mark of distinction and is seen as a desirable goal of genealogy
research. Pretender
s and those hoping to improve their social status have often claimed royal descent and, as a result, fabricated lineages are common. The importance of royal descent to some genealogists has been criticized.
Due to the incompleteness of records, the number of people who have a provable royal descent is much smaller than the number who actually have it. Genealogists and geneticists have attempted to estimate the percentage of various populations that have a royal descent. Royal descent is closely related to the concept of the most recent common ancestor
of all living humans or of a certain geographical area, because if a monarch lived before the time of the most recent common ancestor, then the monarch could be a common ancestor of all humans.
, for example.
The practice of restrictive marriages has been noted as having increased over the years: "the passage of time strengthened the conviction that royalty only allied with royalty, and from the sixteenth century onwards marriages between crown and commoner became rarer and rarer." This is one reason why descent from more recent monarchs is rarer amongst commoners than from monarchs further back.
Several descendants of European royal families who live ordinary lives today are descendants from the illegitimate children of royalty. Since illegitimate children seldom married into other royal families (because their status made them unacceptable to most monarchs), these children had to marry upper class or middle class families from their own country.
Another reason for the greater number of descendants from chronologically distant monarchs is that likelihood of descent from a monarch increases as a function of the length of time between the monarch's death and the birth of the particular descendant. Thus, it is theoretically true that "statistically, most of the inhabitants of Western Europe are probably descended from William the Conqueror; they are equally likely to be descended from the man who groomed his charger." In reality, the two possibilities are not equally likely. On the one hand, rulers tend to have more children than the overall population, and the children of rulers are more likely to receive adequate food than the children of a less wealthy person, who are more likely to die of starvation or malnutrition. On the other hand, rulers and their children are more likely to be assassinated than ordinary individuals are.
and others. Too, we see NEHGS articles on "tycoon" families and US Presidents of royal descent that emphasize the discriminating notion. That is, those of royal descent excel (to wit, Roberts' article on eminent descendants of Mrs. Alice Freeman Thompson Parke).
However, with improved documenting schemes, it can be estimated that as many as 150 million Americans (half of the population, theoretically, though 10s of millions may be a more likely number) have traceable royal European descent. According to American genealogist Gary Boyd Roberts
, an expert on royal descent, most Americans with significant New England
Yankee
, Mid-Atlantic
Quaker, or Southern planter ancestry are descended from medieval kings, especially those of England, Scotland, and France. Some Americans may have royal descents through German immigrants who had an illegitimate descent from German royalty.
Due to primogeniture
, many colonists of high social status were younger children of English aristocratic
families who came to America looking for land because, given their birth order, they could not inherit. Many of these immigrants maintained high standing where they settled. They could often claim royal descent through a female line or illegitimate descent. Many Americans descend from these 17th-century British colonists
who had royal descent. There were at least 650 colonists with traceable royal ancestry, and 387 left descendants in America (almost always numbering many thousands, and some as many as one million). These colonists with royal descent settled in every state, but a large majority lived in Massachusetts
or Virginia
. Several families, who settled in those states, over the two hundred years or more since the colonial land grants, interwinded their branches to the point that almost everyone was somehow related to everyone else. One writer observed, "like a tangle of fish hooks".
Over time, opposing factors have affected the percentage of Americans who have provable royal descent. The passage of the generations has further intermingled the ancestry of the English colonists' descendants, thus increasing the percentage who descend from one of the immigrants with royal ancestry. At the same time, however, waves of post-colonial immigrants from other countries decreased the percentage who have royal descent.
. Among groups which have less centralized power structures, dominant clans are still recognized. Oral history would be the primary method of transmitting genealogies, and both nobles and commoners base their status on descent.The royal blood is among the centralized power of all blood groups.
Between 1903 and 1911, the Marquis de Ruvigny published volumes entitled The Blood Royal of Britain which attempted to name all the then-living descendants of Edward III of England
. He gave up the exercise after publishing the names of about 40,000 living people, but his own estimate was that the total of those of royal descent who could be proved and named if he completed his work at that time was 100,000 people. His work, however, was heavily dependent upon those whose names were readily ascertainable from works of genealogical reference, such as Peerages and Burke's Landed Gentry
.
The English geneticist Professor Stephen Jones estimates that 25% of the British population is descended from the Plantagenets.
The phrase "English descent" does not, of course, mean "purely English descent". As soon as an immigrant family marries into an indigenous family, it acquires all the ancestors of its indigenous parent, and is therefore no less likely to be able to claim a royal descent than a non-immigrant family.
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
research. Pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
s and those hoping to improve their social status have often claimed royal descent and, as a result, fabricated lineages are common. The importance of royal descent to some genealogists has been criticized.
Due to the incompleteness of records, the number of people who have a provable royal descent is much smaller than the number who actually have it. Genealogists and geneticists have attempted to estimate the percentage of various populations that have a royal descent. Royal descent is closely related to the concept of the most recent common ancestor
Most recent common ancestor
In genetics, the most recent common ancestor of any set of organisms is the most recent individual from which all organisms in the group are directly descended...
of all living humans or of a certain geographical area, because if a monarch lived before the time of the most recent common ancestor, then the monarch could be a common ancestor of all humans.
Europe
It is a long tradition that royalty marry only those of their own class. Because of this, "the ruling houses of Europe have always been closely related to one another", and the descent from one monarch will be found in many other families – all present European monarchs, and a great many pretenders, are descendants of William I of EnglandWilliam I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
, for example.
The practice of restrictive marriages has been noted as having increased over the years: "the passage of time strengthened the conviction that royalty only allied with royalty, and from the sixteenth century onwards marriages between crown and commoner became rarer and rarer." This is one reason why descent from more recent monarchs is rarer amongst commoners than from monarchs further back.
Several descendants of European royal families who live ordinary lives today are descendants from the illegitimate children of royalty. Since illegitimate children seldom married into other royal families (because their status made them unacceptable to most monarchs), these children had to marry upper class or middle class families from their own country.
Another reason for the greater number of descendants from chronologically distant monarchs is that likelihood of descent from a monarch increases as a function of the length of time between the monarch's death and the birth of the particular descendant. Thus, it is theoretically true that "statistically, most of the inhabitants of Western Europe are probably descended from William the Conqueror; they are equally likely to be descended from the man who groomed his charger." In reality, the two possibilities are not equally likely. On the one hand, rulers tend to have more children than the overall population, and the children of rulers are more likely to receive adequate food than the children of a less wealthy person, who are more likely to die of starvation or malnutrition. On the other hand, rulers and their children are more likely to be assassinated than ordinary individuals are.
United States
Royal descent is now recognized as common among residents of the United States, as in other countries. At one time, publications on this matter stressed royal connections for only a few families. One example included James PierpontJames Pierpont (Yale founder)
James Pierpont was a Congregationalist minister who is credited with the founding of Yale University in the United States...
and others. Too, we see NEHGS articles on "tycoon" families and US Presidents of royal descent that emphasize the discriminating notion. That is, those of royal descent excel (to wit, Roberts' article on eminent descendants of Mrs. Alice Freeman Thompson Parke).
However, with improved documenting schemes, it can be estimated that as many as 150 million Americans (half of the population, theoretically, though 10s of millions may be a more likely number) have traceable royal European descent. According to American genealogist Gary Boyd Roberts
Gary Boyd Roberts
Gary Boyd Roberts is an American genealogist known for his scholarship in Americans of royal descent, the ancestors of American presidents, and notable kin. Roberts is the retired Senior Research Scholar of the New England Historic Genealogical Society .- Background :A native of Houston, Texas,...
, an expert on royal descent, most Americans with significant New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Yankee
Yankee
The term Yankee has several interrelated and often pejorative meanings, usually referring to people originating in the northeastern United States, or still more narrowly New England, where application of the term is largely restricted to descendants of the English settlers of the region.The...
, Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
Quaker, or Southern planter ancestry are descended from medieval kings, especially those of England, Scotland, and France. Some Americans may have royal descents through German immigrants who had an illegitimate descent from German royalty.
Due to primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
, many colonists of high social status were younger children of English aristocratic
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
families who came to America looking for land because, given their birth order, they could not inherit. Many of these immigrants maintained high standing where they settled. They could often claim royal descent through a female line or illegitimate descent. Many Americans descend from these 17th-century British colonists
British colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
who had royal descent. There were at least 650 colonists with traceable royal ancestry, and 387 left descendants in America (almost always numbering many thousands, and some as many as one million). These colonists with royal descent settled in every state, but a large majority lived in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
or Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Several families, who settled in those states, over the two hundred years or more since the colonial land grants, interwinded their branches to the point that almost everyone was somehow related to everyone else. One writer observed, "like a tangle of fish hooks".
Over time, opposing factors have affected the percentage of Americans who have provable royal descent. The passage of the generations has further intermingled the ancestry of the English colonists' descendants, thus increasing the percentage who descend from one of the immigrants with royal ancestry. At the same time, however, waves of post-colonial immigrants from other countries decreased the percentage who have royal descent.
Africa
Royal descent plays an important role in many African societies; authority and property tend to be lineally derived. Among tribes which recognize a single ruler, the hereditary blood line of the rulers (who early European travelers described as kings, queens, princes, etc., using the terminology of European monarchy) is akin to a dynastyDynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
. Among groups which have less centralized power structures, dominant clans are still recognized. Oral history would be the primary method of transmitting genealogies, and both nobles and commoners base their status on descent.The royal blood is among the centralized power of all blood groups.
Proving royal descent
Royal descent is easier to prove than descent from less notable ancestors, because genealogies and public records are typically fuller, better known and well preserved in the case of royal descent than in the case of descent from common people. It is only since the 20th century that family history has been an interest pursued by people outside the upper classes. Hence, the continuous lines of descent from royal ancestors are much better researched and established than those from other ancestors. Until the parish record system in the 16th century, and civil registration in the 19th century, family records are fuller for landowners than for ordinary people.Between 1903 and 1911, the Marquis de Ruvigny published volumes entitled The Blood Royal of Britain which attempted to name all the then-living descendants of Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. He gave up the exercise after publishing the names of about 40,000 living people, but his own estimate was that the total of those of royal descent who could be proved and named if he completed his work at that time was 100,000 people. His work, however, was heavily dependent upon those whose names were readily ascertainable from works of genealogical reference, such as Peerages and Burke's Landed Gentry
Burke's Peerage
Burke's Peerage publishes authoritative, in-depth historical guides to the royal and titled families of the United Kingdom, such as Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, and of many other countries. Founded in 1826 by British genealogist John Burke Esq., and continued by his son, Sir John...
.
The English geneticist Professor Stephen Jones estimates that 25% of the British population is descended from the Plantagenets.
The phrase "English descent" does not, of course, mean "purely English descent". As soon as an immigrant family marries into an indigenous family, it acquires all the ancestors of its indigenous parent, and is therefore no less likely to be able to claim a royal descent than a non-immigrant family.
See also
- Descent from antiquityDescent from antiquityDescent from Antiquity is the project of establishing a well-researched, generation-by-generation descent of living persons from people living in antiquity. It is an ultimate challenge in prosopography and genealogy....
- Descent from Genghis KhanDescent from Genghis KhanDescent from Genghis Khan is traceable primarily in Central Asia. His four sons and other immediate descendants are famous by names and by deeds. Later Asian potentates attempted to claim descent from the House of Borjigin even on flimsy grounds. In the 14th century, valid sources all but dried...
- Genealogy of the British Royal FamilyGenealogy of the British Royal FamilyThe recorded genealogy of the British Royal Family traces back to the early Middle Ages. Although there is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member of the Royal Family, and different lists will include different people, those carrying the style His or Her Majesty or His or...
- InbreedingInbreedingInbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
- Most recent common ancestorMost recent common ancestorIn genetics, the most recent common ancestor of any set of organisms is the most recent individual from which all organisms in the group are directly descended...