Have you ever wondered whether you're in line for the British throne?
There are many people who believe that they have descended from royalty, and for millions of people in the UK, that is actually true.
Sadly, being a distant descendant of William the Conqueror doesn't mean you will be invited for dinner at Buckingham Palace anytime soon.
But if you are interested in your lineage, there are many sites that can help you trace it.
MyHeritage has compiled a list of 35 surnames that might just suggest a connection to royalty. These names, traditionally associated with nobility, could lead you to a surprising revelation about your own lineage.
While having one of these surnames doesn't guarantee you're related to a royal family member, it can be a fascinating starting point for anyone intrigued by the possibility of royal ties.
Here’s a list of 35 surnames that MyHeritage suggests could hint at a royal lineage:
- Windsor – The current British royal family’s surname since 1917.
- Tudor – The Welsh dynasty that gave us monarchs like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
- Stuart – A Scottish house that ruled both England and Scotland during the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Plantagenet – The royal house that provided England with kings from Henry II to Richard III.
- Capet – A French dynasty that ruled from 987 to 1328.
- Bourbon – A European royal house that ruled France, Spain, and other territories.
- Habsburg – A powerful royal house in Europe, once ruling the Holy Roman Empire.
- Hanover – The British royal house from George I to Queen Victoria.
- Valois – A branch of the Capetian dynasty that ruled France.
- Lancaster – A branch of the Plantagenet family, key during the Wars of the Roses.
- York – Another Plantagenet branch, central to the Wars of the Roses.
- Bruce – A Scottish royal family, famously including Robert the Bruce.
- de Valois – A French royal family that produced several kings.
- de Medici – An influential Italian family with royal connections and ties to popes.
- Savoy – A royal family that once ruled parts of Italy and France.
- Orange-Nassau – The royal family of the Netherlands.
- Oldenburg – A European house with ties to the current Danish royal family.
- Glucksburg – A branch of the Oldenburg family, connected to Danish and Norwegian royalty.
- Romanov – The last imperial dynasty to rule Russia.
- Baskerville – A noble English family with aristocratic ties.
- Darcy – A family name associated with English and Irish nobility.
- Neville – A powerful family with significant influence in medieval England.
- Percy – An aristocratic family in England, known for their historical impact.
- Astley – Linked to the English peerage, a noble surname.
- Capell – An aristocratic English family with notable historical influence.
- Howard – A prominent family in the UK, holders of the Dukedom of Norfolk.
- Seymour – The family of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife, with ties to Somerset.
- Grey – Associated with Lady Jane Grey, England’s nine-day queen.
- FitzAlan – A powerful family from medieval England, former Earls of Arundel.
- Courtenay – A noble family connected to both English and French royalty.
- Manners – The surname of the Dukes of Rutland, an influential family.
- Russell – Tied to the Dukes of Bedford, an important British aristocratic line.
- Cavendish – The family name of the Dukes of Devonshire, key figures in British nobility.
- Talbot – A noble family with the Earldom of Shrewsbury.
- Spencer – The family name of Princess Diana, connecting them to the modern British royal family.
Do any of you reading now think you could be related to royalty?