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Historical Figures Whose Immediate Family Members Are Still Alive
Often, the only things historical figures leave behind are their deeds and words. Great writing and great songs endure, as do terrible acts. But a legacy is not reserved for these alone. There are many individuals living today whose fathers, mothers, and grandparents are well-known figures - and it can be a challenge to live up to their acclaimed (or reprehensible) reputations.
Yet many of the descendants on this list have carved out their own places in history - often but not always in the same fields as their forebears. Check out these immediate relatives of famous historical figures, and vote up the ones that surprise you.
John Lennon (1940-1980) was a member of the Beatles, one of the most influential bands of the 20th century.
Sean Lennon (b. 1975), the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, is a musical artist and produer.
See the resemblance?Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a popular film star in the 1950s, and became Princess Consort of Monaco when she married Prince Rainier III in 1956.
Charlotte Casiraghi (b. 1986) is Kelly's granddaughter and the Chanel Ambassador for 2021. Per Town & Country, she is 11th in line to the throne of Monaco.
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Amon Goeth (1908-1946) was the notoriously brutal Nazi commandant of the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.
Monika Hertwig (b. 1945) was one-year-old when her father was executed for his war crimes. A retired university administrator, Hertwig appeared in the 2006 documentary Inheritance, in which she discusses the difficult legacy her father left behind.
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Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889-1977) was a leading figure of early Hollywood, and created the iconic Tramp character that will forever be associated with his name.
Oona Chaplin (b. 1986) is Chaplin's granddaughter, as well as the great-granddaughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and is a successful actor.
See the resemblance?Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was the co-founder of the Cubist movement, and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Diana Widmaier Picasso (b. 1974) is the granddaughter of Picasso and Marie-Thérèse Walter. She is an art historian and author.
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Charles Dickens (1812-1870) remains one of the most popular authors in English history.
Harry Lloyd (b. 1983) is Dickens's great-great-great-grandson, and an actor.
See the resemblance?- 7
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928) spent most of her life fighting for women's suffrage, a goal that was finally achieved in the year she passed. Her daughter, Sylvia Pankhurst, was also an active suffragette.
Dr. Helen Pankhurst (b. 1964) has continued her family's legacy of fighting for women's rights. According to Manchester Metropolitan University, she "is a Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University, a senior advisor at CARE International and a trustee of ActionAid. She is the convenor of the Greater Manchester focused GM4Women 2028 and the more national Centenary Action Group."
See the resemblance? Frank Sinatra (1915-1998), or "Ol' Blue Eyes," was one of the most popular singers of the 20th century.
Nancy Sinatra (b. 1940) followed in her father's footsteps, appearing on both stage and screen. Her biggest hit was 1965's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'."
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John Tyler (1790-1862) was the 10th president of the United States, and was born during George Washington's first term.
Harrison Tyler (b. 1928) is John Tyler's grandson. That may seem hard to believe - since President Tyler passed away 159 years ago - but it's due to both the president and his son Lyon remarrying later in life. President Tyler married his second wife, 22-year-old Julia Gardiner, when he was 52. They had Lyon when he was 63. Later, after Lyon's own wife had passed, he also married again. His son Harrison was born when Lyon was 75 years old.
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Elvis Presley (1935-1977) was known as the "King of Rock and Roll," and later simply "the King." He was one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century, and starred in several Hollywood films.
Riley Keough (b. 1989) is Presley's granddaughter, and an actress and producer.
See the resemblance?H.H. Asquith (1852-1928), 1st earl of Oxford and Asquith, was Britain's prime minister from 1908 to 1916. It was under his leadership that Britain entered WWI.
Helena Bonham Carter (b. 1966) is Asquith's great-granddaughter. She is also the granddaughter of Eduardo Propper de Callejón, a Spanish diplomat who helped thousands of Jews escape France during WWII.
See the resemblance?Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, winning the 1954 Noble Prize in Literature.
Dree Hemingway (b. 1987) is Ernest's great-granddaughter, and the daughter of actress Mariel Hemingway. She has worked in both the fashion and film industries.
See the resemblance?Ernesto "Che" Guevara (1928-1967) was a physician and revolutionary. He was Fidel Castro's second-in-command during the Cuban Revolution, and is considered one of the most influential people of the 20th century.
Aleida Guevara March (b. 1960) is a doctor of medicine and human rights advocate.
See the resemblance?
