Family history

Ancestry.

Five hundred and eighty years of one family — Tudor Dorset, Habsburg Spain, colonial New Mexico, the Hoopa Valley, and Plymouth Colony, all converging on one person. 14,108 people, mapped and counted from the family tree.

14,108

People in the tree

6,797

Families

2,877

Direct ancestors traced

15

Generations deep

4,888

Recorded places

1445–2022

Years spanned

The map

Every recorded birthplace in the tree. Filter by ancestral stream — each grandparent carries an almost entirely separate history — or by century, and click any marker for who was born there.

Loading the family map… · living relatives are never shown

Four streams

Four grandparents, four nearly separate histories.

William Frank McKelvy

Father's father · 1946–2005 · 754 traced ancestors

Pittsburgh steel-era stock reaching back through Rhode Island Quakers to four Mayflower passengers — and, on the Tytherleigh line, an unbroken chain of Dorset villagers to 1540.

Origins: England · Scotland · colonial New England

McKelvyHannaPeckhamBownTytherleighBartlett

Susana (Cruz) McKelvy

Father's mother · 1950–2017 · 469 traced ancestors

Old-line Nuevomexicano families descending from the 1598 Oñate colonists of New Mexico — plus a Zuni ancestor, a Greek soldier from Crete, and a Mexican-born great-grandfather.

Origins: New Mexico · New Spain · Spain · Greece

CruzRobertsLarragoitiValdezMartín SerranoBaca

Daniel Abarr

Mother's father · 1959–1983 · 776 traced ancestors

Frontier families — Dutch New Netherland Westfalls, Virginia Byrds, German Palatines, and Swiss Meiers — who pushed west across two centuries and settled in Trinity and Humboldt County, California.

Origins: England · Germany · Netherlands · Scotland

AbarrNunesWestfallWoolseyByrdHarbin

Paula Jackson

Mother's mother · living · 875 traced ancestors

Hupa people of the Hoopa Valley — ancestors like Old Neko Jackson, born there in 1817, decades before California statehood — intermarried with a Safford line that carries Gov. William Bradford and presidential Adams blood.

Origins: Hoopa Valley (Hupa) · England · New England

JacksonSaffordNortonGeorgeAdamsBradford

The census

Everyone this tree knows about, counted. It is one enormous connected web: 14,106 of the 14,108 link to each other through parenthood or marriage — only two individuals float free.

Births by decade

The tree is thickest in the age of Shakespeare — genealogy runs on records, and this family's paper trail is deepest in Tudor–Stuart England, colonial New England, and colonial New Mexico.

1440s — 2 births1450s — 2 births1460s — 7 births1470s — 9 births1480s — 21 births1490s — 31 births1500s — 50 births15001510s — 74 births1520s — 165 births1530s — 244 births1540s — 301 births1550s — 443 births1560s — 482 births1570s — 582 births1580s — 589 births1590s — 725 births1600s — 656 births16001610s — 654 births1620s — 667 births1630s — 587 births1640s — 697 births1650s — 664 births1660s — 566 births1670s — 521 births1680s — 479 births1690s — 370 births1700s — 363 births17001710s — 314 births1720s — 266 births1730s — 244 births1740s — 242 births1750s — 203 births1760s — 178 births1770s — 155 births1780s — 133 births1790s — 153 births1800s — 119 births18001810s — 109 births1820s — 93 births1830s — 109 births1840s — 94 births1850s — 62 births1860s — 79 births1870s — 60 births1880s — 50 births1890s — 35 births1900s — 25 births19001910s — 24 births1920s — 23 births1930s — 5 births1940s — 5 births1950s — 5 births1970s — 3 births1990s — 1 births1590s · 725 births

Where they were born

  • England3,408
  • British Colonial America2,566
  • United States1,677
  • United Kingdom723
  • New Spain577
  • Scotland495
  • Germany412
  • Spain220
  • Ireland209
  • Netherlands208

How many were alive when…

People in this tree living during each event.

  • Columbus sails (1492)51
  • Mayflower lands (1620)3,828
  • Salem witch trials (1692)3,905
  • American Revolution (1775–83)1,837
  • Constitution signed (1787)1,470
  • Civil War (1861–65)771
  • Transcontinental railroad (1869)692
  • Wright brothers fly (1903)487
  • WWI (1914–18)405
  • 1918 flu pandemic376
  • Great Depression (1929–39)308
  • WWII (1939–45)228
  • Moon landing (1969)109
  • Year 200043

A 17th-century family

Seventeen times more of the family lived to see the Salem witch trials (3,905) than lived to see WWII (228). This tree's center of gravity is startlingly early.

Deep time

The pedigree names 2,877 distinct direct ancestors across 15 generations — back to people born under Henry VI of England and the Catholic Monarchs of Spain.

The paper trail, generation by generation

How many of each generation's theoretical ancestor slots the tree actually fills — complete to generation 3, still naming 861 people of a possible 32,768 by generation 15.

Gen 1
2 of 2
Gen 2
4 of 4
Gen 3
8 of 8
Gen 4
12 of 16
Gen 5
21 of 32
Gen 6
37 of 64
Gen 7
47 of 128
Gen 8
51 of 256
Gen 9
81 of 512
Gen 10
117 of 1,024
Gen 11
200 of 2,048
Gen 12
330 of 4,096
Gen 13
490 of 8,192
Gen 14
671 of 16,384
Gen 15
861 of 32,768

The deepest line: sixteen links to 1540

Unbroken from Tudor Dorset to Orange County — including five consecutive Roberts Tyderleigh.

  1. Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997
  2. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  3. ↓William Frank McKelvyb. 1946
  4. ↓William Nessler Mc Kelvyb. 1916
  5. ↓Frank Bown Mc Kelvyb. 1890
  6. ↓Ada Bownb. 1867
  7. ↓Joseph B. Bownb. 1838
  8. ↓David Bownb. 1804
  9. ↓Mary Tytherleighb. 1769
  10. ↓Charles Tytherleighb. 1736
  11. ↓Robert Tyderleighb. 1685
  12. ↓Robert Tyderleighb. 1664
  13. ↓Robert Tyderleighb. 1624
  14. ↓Robert Tyderleighb. 1588
  15. ↓Robert Tyderleighb. 1566
  16. ↓William Tyderleghb. 1540

The family tree is a family web

Colonial New Mexico began with a few dozen families who intermarried for three centuries. The result: 272 ancestors appear in the pedigree more than once — Catalina de Ocampo (b. 1520) and Alvaro Pérez de Zamora (b. 1527) along 11 separate lines each, the Oñate colonists Pedro Robledo and Bartolomé Romero along 6. At generation 15 the pedigree has 32,768 slots and only 861 named people to fill them.

Long lives

9,596 people have a death year, which makes lifespan arithmetic possible on a grand scale. Implausible colonial ages are excluded.

Adult lifespan by century of birth

Among people who survived to 18 — remarkably flat for four hundred years. If you made it out of childhood, your threescore was fairly safe in any century.

1400s: 66.7 yrs (64 records)1400s66.7 yrs1500s: 58.6 yrs (2,365 records)1500s58.6 yrs1600s: 60.4 yrs (4,056 records)1600s60.4 yrs1700s: 63.6 yrs (1,607 records)1700s63.6 yrs1800s: 66.5 yrs (608 records)1800s66.5 yrs1900s: 68.4 yrs (66 records)1900s68.4 yrs

Born in winter

January–March births outnumber June–August by 28% — spring weddings, harvest conceptions, winter babies.

J: 502J502F: 443F443M: 461M461A: 425A425M: 410M410J: 352J352J: 353J353A: 391A391S: 375S375O: 388O388N: 366N366D: 402D402

The oldest, as recorded

The colonial entries flagged ⚠ are almost certainly merged father-and-son records; the two modern centenarians look real.

  • Jabez Brockett · New Haven, Conn.113 ⚠
  • Henry Palmer · Suffolk, England107 ⚠
  • Anna Gorton · Rhode Island105 ⚠
  • Louisa Helen Kane · Hoopa, Calif. (1886–1991)105
  • Henry Byrd · Virginia → Kentucky104 ⚠
  • Tomas Encarnacion Garcia · New Mexico (1803–1905)102

Hearts & households

4,645 recorded marriages, 8,351 parent–child links, and the arithmetic of family life across five centuries.

Age at marriage by century

Grooms married four to six years older than brides in every century on record.

Grooms Brides
1500s · Grooms: 25.5 yrs25.51500s · Brides: 21.9 yrs21.91500s1600s · Grooms: 27.8 yrs27.81600s · Brides: 23.2 yrs23.21600s1700s · Grooms: 29.3 yrs29.31700s · Brides: 24.3 yrs24.31700s1800s · Grooms: 29 yrs291800s · Brides: 23 yrs231800s1900s · Grooms: 29.1 yrs29.11900s · Brides: 24.2 yrs24.21900s

Children per family

The 1700s frontier generation peaks above seven children per family.

1500s: 4.38 (582 records)1500s4.381600s: 5.28 (771 records)1600s5.281700s: 7.28 (160 records)1700s7.281800s: 6.6 (62 records)1800s6.61900s: 3.14 (14 records)1900s3.14

Longest marriage

78 years

Tomas Encarnacion Garcia & Maria Rita Gonsalez of New Mexico, married 1827 — together until his death in 1905.

Most marriages

9

Hans Meier (1588–1637) of Switzerland. In all, 1,616 people married more than once — remarriage after widowhood was how life continued.

Largest believable family

19 children

Four families tie at nineteen recorded children. One Swiss record claims 35 — see the Almanac for why that's a merge artifact.

Widest age gap

40 years

Thomas Gorton (b. 1526) married Anne Johnson (b. 1566) in 1591. Every one of the ten widest gaps is an older groom.

Sets of twins

67

At least two direct ancestors were twins themselves — one from each side of the ocean.

Same-birthday couples

51

Including great-great-grandparents Pliny Earl Jackson (Apr 18, 1899) and Shirley Octavia Norton (Apr 18, 1901) of Hoopa — born two years apart to the day.

Notable lines

Direct ancestors, as the records tell it — deep genealogy is internet genealogy, so read each as a well-sourced story rather than a certified fact. Every chain link with a page is clickable.

Gov. William Bradford

1590–1657

Governor of Plymouth Colony

Mayflower passenger and author of “Of Plymouth Plantation.” Longest-serving governor of the Pilgrims’ colony.

10th-great-grandparent · mother’s side · via Safford

Line of descent · 13 links
  1. Gov. William Bradfordb. 1590
  2. ↓William Bradfordb. 1624
  3. ↓Thomas Bradfordb. 1658
  4. ↓James Bradfordb. 1689
  5. ↓Sarah Bradfordb. 1720
  6. ↓Tryphena Adamsb. 1760
  7. ↓Joseph Saffordb. 1788
  8. ↓John Saffordb. 1827
  9. ↓John C. Safford Jrb. 1889
  10. ↓Betty Delphine Saffordb. 1934
  11. ↓Paula Jackson
  12. ↓Betsy Abarr
  13. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

John Alden

1598–1687

Mayflower cooper

The famous John Alden — hired crewman who stayed, and (with Priscilla) subject of Longfellow’s “The Courtship of Miles Standish.”

12th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Peckham

Line of descent · 15 links
  1. John Aldenb. 1598
  2. ↓Elizabeth Aldenb. 1623
  3. ↓Mercy Pabodieb. 1649
  4. ↓William Simmonsb. 1672
  5. ↓Peleg Simmonsb. 1716
  6. ↓Abigail Simmonsb. 1760
  7. ↓Prudence Sanfordb. 1783
  8. ↓John Peckhamb. 1810
  9. ↓Lewis John Peckhamb. 1839
  10. ↓Clarence George Peckhamb. 1864
  11. ↓Helen Gertrude Peckhamb. 1896
  12. ↓Helen Vernette Hannab. 1921
  13. ↓William Frank McKelvyb. 1946
  14. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  15. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Priscilla Mullins

1602–1685

Mayflower passenger

Priscilla Mullins lost her entire family the first winter, then married John Alden. Their daughter Elizabeth is celebrated as the first English girl born in New England.

12th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Peckham

Line of descent · 15 links
  1. Priscilla Mullinsb. 1602
  2. ↓Elizabeth Aldenb. 1623
  3. ↓Mercy Pabodieb. 1649
  4. ↓William Simmonsb. 1672
  5. ↓Peleg Simmonsb. 1716
  6. ↓Abigail Simmonsb. 1760
  7. ↓Prudence Sanfordb. 1783
  8. ↓John Peckhamb. 1810
  9. ↓Lewis John Peckhamb. 1839
  10. ↓Clarence George Peckhamb. 1864
  11. ↓Helen Gertrude Peckhamb. 1896
  12. ↓Helen Vernette Hannab. 1921
  13. ↓William Frank McKelvyb. 1946
  14. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  15. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Richard Warren

1583–1628

Mayflower passenger

Richard Warren came alone on the Mayflower; his wife and five daughters followed on the Anne. Tens of millions descend from him.

12th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Peckham

Line of descent · 15 links
  1. Richard Warrenb. 1583
  2. ↓Mary Warrenb. 1610
  3. ↓Joseph Bartlettb. 1639
  4. ↓Robert Bartlettb. 1663
  5. ↓John Bartlettb. 1696
  6. ↓Jerusha Bartlettb. 1735
  7. ↓Charles Peckhamb. 1775
  8. ↓John Peckhamb. 1810
  9. ↓Lewis John Peckhamb. 1839
  10. ↓Clarence George Peckhamb. 1864
  11. ↓Helen Gertrude Peckhamb. 1896
  12. ↓Helen Vernette Hannab. 1921
  13. ↓William Frank McKelvyb. 1946
  14. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  15. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Francis Cooke

1583–1663

Mayflower passenger

Francis Cooke, a wool-comber, sailed with his son John; his wife Hester followed later.

11th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Peckham

Line of descent · 14 links
  1. Francis Cookeb. 1583
  2. ↓Jacob Cookeb. 1618
  3. ↓Sarah Cookeb. 1671
  4. ↓John Bartlettb. 1696
  5. ↓Jerusha Bartlettb. 1735
  6. ↓Charles Peckhamb. 1775
  7. ↓John Peckhamb. 1810
  8. ↓Lewis John Peckhamb. 1839
  9. ↓Clarence George Peckhamb. 1864
  10. ↓Helen Gertrude Peckhamb. 1896
  11. ↓Helen Vernette Hannab. 1921
  12. ↓William Frank McKelvyb. 1946
  13. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  14. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Henry Adams

1583–1646

Braintree founder

Henry Adams of Braintree — immigrant forefather of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Through him, this tree makes you a 3rd cousin (8× removed) of both presidents.

10th-great-grandparent · mother’s side · via Safford

Line of descent · 13 links
  1. Henry Adamsb. 1583
  2. ↓Thomas Adamsb. 1612
  3. ↓Samuel Adamsb. 1652
  4. ↓Joseph Adamsb. 1682
  5. ↓Joseph Adamsb. 1715
  6. ↓Tryphena Adamsb. 1760
  7. ↓Joseph Saffordb. 1788
  8. ↓John Saffordb. 1827
  9. ↓John C. Safford Jrb. 1889
  10. ↓Betty Delphine Saffordb. 1934
  11. ↓Paula Jackson
  12. ↓Betsy Abarr
  13. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Pedro Robledo

1537–1598

Oñate colonist, 1598

Set out for New Mexico with the Oñate expedition at ~60 and died on the trail. The Robledo Mountains near Las Cruces still carry his name.

13th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Cruz

Line of descent · 16 links
  1. Pedro Robledob. 1537
  2. ↓Luisa Lopez Robledob. 1563
  3. ↓Matías Romerob. 1597
  4. ↓Luisa Romerob. 1622
  5. ↓Antonio Lucero de Godoyb. 1651
  6. ↓Diego Lucero de Godoyb. 1692
  7. ↓Marcos Lucero De Godoyb. 1719
  8. ↓Maria Andrea Lucero de Godoyb. 1754
  9. ↓Juan Domingo Valdezb. 1796
  10. ↓Maria Feliciana Valdesb. 1829
  11. ↓Virginia Larragoitib. 1871
  12. ↓Mabel Robertsb. 1886
  13. ↓David Robert Cruzb. 1918
  14. ↓Susana McKelvyb. 1950
  15. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  16. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Hernán Martin Serrano

1525–1590

Conquistador of Zacatecas

Hernán Martín Serrano — patriarch of one of New Mexico’s great founding families; his descendants fill this tree.

13th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Cruz

Line of descent · 16 links
  1. Hernán Martin Serranob. 1525
  2. ↓Hernán Martin Serrano IIb. 1556
  3. ↓Luis Martín Serranob. 1610
  4. ↓Luis Martín Serranob. 1628
  5. ↓Cristóbal Martín Serranob. 1655
  6. ↓Juan Antonio Tadeo De Quintanab. 1705
  7. ↓Lugarda Martín Serranob. 1707
  8. ↓Juan Domingo Valdezb. 1744
  9. ↓Juan Domingo Valdezb. 1796
  10. ↓Maria Feliciana Valdesb. 1829
  11. ↓Virginia Larragoitib. 1871
  12. ↓Mabel Robertsb. 1886
  13. ↓David Robert Cruzb. 1918
  14. ↓Susana McKelvyb. 1950
  15. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  16. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Juan de Griego I

1556–1631

“Juan the Greek”

Born on Crete, he joined the 1598 Oñate expedition as a soldier — the Greek founder of New Mexico’s Griego family.

12th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Cruz

Line of descent · 15 links
  1. Juan de Griego Ib. 1556
  2. ↓Juana Bernalb. 1600
  3. ↓Juan de Moragab. 1629
  4. ↓Antonia Moragab. 1649
  5. ↓Juan Antonio Tadeo De Quintanab. 1705
  6. ↓Lugarda Martín Serranob. 1707
  7. ↓Juan Domingo Valdezb. 1744
  8. ↓Juan Domingo Valdezb. 1796
  9. ↓Maria Feliciana Valdesb. 1829
  10. ↓Virginia Larragoitib. 1871
  11. ↓Mabel Robertsb. 1886
  12. ↓David Robert Cruzb. 1918
  13. ↓Susana McKelvyb. 1950
  14. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  15. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Alonso García de Noriega

1627–1700

Lt. Governor of New Mexico

Alonso García de Noriega led the survivors’ retreat down the Rio Grande during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt.

10th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Cruz

Line of descent · 13 links
  1. Alonso García de Noriegab. 1627
  2. ↓Juan García de Noriegab. 1658
  3. ↓Juan Esteban García de Noriegab. 1696
  4. ↓Salvador Garcia de Noriega
  5. ↓Pedro Antonio García de Noriegab. 1755
  6. ↓María de la Ascensión Garcíab. 1801
  7. ↓Maria Feliciana Valdesb. 1829
  8. ↓Virginia Larragoitib. 1871
  9. ↓Mabel Robertsb. 1886
  10. ↓David Robert Cruzb. 1918
  11. ↓Susana McKelvyb. 1950
  12. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  13. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Zuni Woman

1621–

Zuni Pueblo ancestor

Recorded only as “Zuni Woman,” born about 1621 — the tree’s documented link to Zuni Pueblo, ancestral to your New Mexico line.

12th-great-grandparent · father’s side · via Cruz

Line of descent · 15 links
  1. Zuni Womanb. 1621
  2. ↓Maria de Hinojosb. 1636
  3. ↓María Josefa de Hinojosb. 1662
  4. ↓María Isabel Montoyab. 1695
  5. ↓Margarita de San Juan Lunab. 1711
  6. ↓Maria Rosa de los Reyes Martín y Lunab. 1752
  7. ↓María Gertrudis Ortiz y Martinb. 1769
  8. ↓María de la Ascensión Garcíab. 1801
  9. ↓Maria Feliciana Valdesb. 1829
  10. ↓Virginia Larragoitib. 1871
  11. ↓Mabel Robertsb. 1886
  12. ↓David Robert Cruzb. 1918
  13. ↓Susana McKelvyb. 1950
  14. ↓Jacob McKelvy
  15. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Old Neko Jackson

1817–1872

Hupa elder

Old Neko Jackson, born in the Hoopa Valley in 1817 — decades before California statehood — heads your Jackson line.

4th-great-grandparent · mother’s side · via Jackson

Line of descent · 7 links
  1. Old Neko Jacksonb. 1817
  2. ↓James Jacksonb. 1862
  3. ↓Pliny Earl Jacksonb. 1899
  4. ↓Paul Edward Jacksonb. 1933
  5. ↓Paula Jackson
  6. ↓Betsy Abarr
  7. ↓Jacob McKelvy Jr.b. 1997

Curiosities

The small print of 14,108 lives.

The September 3rd club

Eighteen people in this tree share Jacob's exact birthday — the earliest of them born in 1495.

Full-circle exits

Forty-nine people died on their own birthday, among them James Bradford (1689–1762), great-grandson of the Mayflower governor.

Holiday babies

19 born on Christmas, 17 on Valentine's Day, 12 on the Fourth of July, 10 on Halloween — and not one on leap day.

A dynasty of Roberts

Five consecutive generations of the Dorset line were men named Robert Tyderleigh (born 1566–1685) — a century and a half of one name in one village.

One in sixteen is a John

883 Johns, 675 Marys, 641 Elizabeths — add Juan (156) and María (111+) and the pattern crosses the ocean. Most-duplicated full name: "Mary Smith," thirteen of them.

Titles on the rolls

95 Sirs, 41 Ladies, 83 Captains and Capitánes, 38 Reverends, a Chief Justice — and six men whose recorded name literally begins with "Conquistador."

The 230-year-old man

Juan Garcia de la Riva is recorded 1670–1900 — the wildest of 23 impossible ages in the file, a reminder that every tree carries typos in its oldest branches.

Six Heinrichs, five Verenas

One Swiss family record lists 35 children, including six named Heinrich and five named Verena. Reusing a dead child's name was normal; so was merging two families into one record.

Hall of nicknames

"Big Boy" McCovey · Washington "Wash" Jackson · Mariana "Azteca" Sanchez Tobar · "Klein" Anna Duttweiler · Sir Thomas "The Older" Hay.

Explore the pedigree

Every ancestor, one page each.

All 2,873 traced direct ancestors, browsable by generation — each with their dates, places, family, and full line of descent down to the present.

Browse all 2,873→

The full report

The McKelvy Almanac.

Eight parts, every figure computed from the records: the census, the four streams, deep time, long lives, hearts & households, notable lines, curiosities, and the method behind it all. Charts, descent chains, and 580 years of small print.

Read the Almanac→

Figures are "as recorded" in the family file — lines beyond about ten generations are best read as family legend with citations pending. Living relatives never appear here by name, date, or place.