Is Taylor Swift Related to Jonathan Swift?

From father-daughter singing duos like Miley Cyrus and Billy Rae Cyrus, to supermodel sisters like Bella Hadid and Gigi Hadid, the entertainment industry is filled with celebrities who share blood bonds. But what about country singer Taylor Swift?

It’s unclear whether Taylor Swift is related to Irish author Jonathan Swift. As well as sharing a last name, both Taylor and Jonathan are of Anglo-Irish heritage so it’s definitely a possibility. The Swift side of Taylor’s family can be traced back 11 generations to William Swift, but there are no Jonathans on record. 

Keep reading to find out who Jonathan Swift is, and whether Taylor Swift has other famous relatives. 

Who is Jonathan Swift?

Born 30^th November 1667, Jonathan Swift is an Anglo-Irish essayist, cleric, satirist, political pamphleteer, and poet. He’s most known for writing Gulliver’s Travels (1726), A Modest Proposal (1729), and A Tale of Tub (1704). 

Sadly, Jonathan’s father died two months before he was born, and his mother struggled to provide for Jonathan alone. Jonathan, therefore, grew up under the care of his uncle, a well-respected attorney. He was enrolled in Kilkenny Grammar School and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College, Dublin. 

Upon William of Orange invading England in 1688, Swift moved to England and became secretary to Sir William Temple. By 1692 he had received a MA from Oxford University and began publishing his poems. 

He continued publishing his writing over the years, often under pseudonyms. Jonathan became increasingly involved in politics and the Church of Ireland, working his way up the ranks to become Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Ireland. 

In 1742, Jonathan suffered from a stroke that left him paralysed. He died three years later in 1745. 

Taylor’s Ancestry

When it comes to Taylor Swift, whereas, the singer-songwriter was born on December 13^th, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Her parents, Scott Kingsley Swift and Andrea Gardner, chose the name Taylor because it is gender-neutral, which they thought would help Taylor’s career. 

According to The Surname Database, the surname Swift is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It derives from the Old English word ‘suift’, which was used to describe somebody who was a fast runner. 

Are there any famous runners or sportsmen in Taylors lineage?

FamousKin have traced Taylors ahnentafel chart back 16 generations, to her 39,059^th relative Isabel Anderton. Among this list are some noteworthy and familiar names. Let’s dive in:

Gregory Peck

American actor Gregory Peck is Taylors 9^thcousin twice removed. As one of the most well-loved movie stars, Peck was a big name from the 1940s to the 1960s. He’s most known for his roles as Atticus Finchin To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), and Robert Thorn in The Omen (1976). 

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Next up is the 32^ndPresident of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Franklin is 6^th cousin 1 time removed to Jireh Swift, who is Taylor Swift’s 6^th great-grandfather. Roosevelt was a member of the Democratic Party and is the only president to be inaugurated for a fourth term in office. Taylor has since followed in his footsteps and is an outspoken supporter of the Democrats.

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I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections on November 6th, in which I’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee. In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now. I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country. I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent. I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love. Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values. I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives. Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100% on every issue, but we have to vote anyway. So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count. But first you need to register, which is quick and easy to do. October 9th is the LAST DAY to register to vote in the state of TN. Go to vote.org and you can find all the info. Happy Voting! ???

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Oct 7, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

King Robert I

She may have a song called ‘King Of My Heart’ but what about King of France? Taylors 34^th great-grandfather is King Robert I, who served as the King of France. Robert was crowned King on 29^thJune 922, though his leadership was widely contested. This came to a head less than a year later, when Robert’s army fought the Vikings in the Battle of Soissons, and Robert was killed. 

Final Words

To summarise, it’s uncertain whether Taylor Swift is related to noteworthy author Jonathan Swift. But despite this, Taylor’s family history is far from bland. They say that talent runs in the family, so can we expect Taylor Swift to become the President of the United States?