Random Modern Descendants Of Historical Figures Who Work In The Same Field (10 items)

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  (#1) Christopher Columbus

  • Dec. at 55 (1451-1506)

  Columbus didn’t merely leave behind a legacy of discovery and colonization - he also started a family tradition of sailing for the Spanish, which continues to this day.

  Columbus’s Spanish name was Cristobal Colon, and many of his descendants have carried this name. This includes his 17th-generation great-grandson, Cristobal Colon de Carvajal, who served as a vice admiral in the Spanish navy before meeting his demise by the Basque in Spain in 1986.

  Colon's son, also named Cristobal Colon, followed in his father's footsteps by also becoming a vice admiral. Among other seaworthy accomplishments, he took command of a rebuilt Santa Maria, which was a ship his ancestor used on his first journey across the Atlantic. 
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  (#7) William Howard Taft

  • Dec. at 72 (1857-1930)

  There are several well-known political dynasties in Washington, like the Bushes and the Kennedys, but a lesser-known family dynasty dates back to 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft. The former president also served as chief justice of the United States for roughly a decade.

  The two most prominent Tafts in the modern political landscape are William Howard Taft IV and his brother, Bob. William is an attorney who has held lofty US government positions, including deputy secretary of defense and permanent representative to NATO. William served under three Republican presidents, Ronald Reagan and both Bushes. 

  Bob Taft is a more traditional politician, serving as the governor of Ohio for eight years, a stint which ended in 2007. He was the first governor in Ohio history with a conviction for criminal charges, which came after a 2005 trial for incomplete financial disclosures.
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  (#3) Confucius

  • Dec. at 72 (550 BC-478 BC)

  It's possible to trace the 2,500-year-old family line of Confucius to this day. Confucius, who died in 479 BCE, was one of the most influential thinkers in all of Eastern civilization, and his ideas and philosophies remain relevant, thanks in part to some of his direct descendants. 

  Director and choreographer Kong Dexin is a 77th-generation descendant of Confucius who has used her family heritage as inspiration for her art. Kong directed a dance drama titled Confucius at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China, as well as at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

  The show brought her ancestor’s philosophies into the modern age with impressive choreography. Despite the significant genealogical gap between herself and the ancient thinker, according to Kong, “The way my grandfather talked about him, Confucius felt more like a great-grandfather than a very distant relative.”
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  (#10) Charlie Chaplin

  • Dec. at 88 (1889-1977)

  Game of Thrones viewers are familiar with the character of Talisa Maegyr, who has married into the Stark family. Oona Chaplin, the granddaughter of silver-screen legend Charlie Chaplin, portrayed Talisa. Despite following her grandfather's vocational footsteps, Oona never met him before he died, and describes the legacy as “amazing, but it kind of freaks me out sometimes.”

  Oona’s historical ties to acting don’t end with her vaudevillian grandfather. Her parents named her after her grandmother, Oona O'Neill Chaplin, Charlie's fourth wife and the daughter of writer Eugene O’Neill, who won both a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize. So she’s not the first member of her family tree to take part in dramatic storytelling.
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  (#8) Charles Dickens

  • Dec. at 58 (1812-1870)

  Harry Lloyd played one of the many villains on HBO’s Game of Thrones: Viserys Targaryen, the cruel older brother of Daenerys. When it comes to epic storytelling, Lloyd boasts significant heritage. 

  Lloyd’s first professional role was Steerforth (opposite Daniel Radcliffe) in a BBC version of David Copperfield, which is fitting because he’s the great-great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens. Later, he played Herbert Pocket in a TV adaptation of Great Expectations.

  The connection goes beyond Lloyd appearing in adaptations of his ancestor's work. He’s also demonstrated a knack for narrating audiobooks, including A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin, suggesting how the ability to tell epic tales is possibly a genetic trait. 
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  (#9) Albert Einstein

  • Dec. at 76 (1879-1955)

  Few family names come with loftier expectations than Einstein, a moniker now synonymous with genius. Albert Einstein died in New Jersey in 1955 after altering the world of physics forever, and though he had numerous grandchildren, most have avoided conducting scientific research. It’s easy to understand why. Grandpa Albert set the bar preposterously high, and any Einstein entering the sciences would have to reach an impossible standard of excellence.

  The only modern Einstein to stick with the sciences is allegedly Thomas Martin Einstein, MD, grandson of Albert and an anesthesiologist in California. Dr. Einstein might not invent theorems or formulas, but he still had to obtain several degrees for his current position.

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