On my dad's side, my family name is one of the oldest family names in Canada. My ancestors came from Normandy, to Nouvelle-France, in the 1600s. My great-uncle also founded a car-glass company that is very well-known here. It is now international, and known as "Carglass" or "Autoglass" (depending where you are).
On my mum's side, my great-grand-dad came from Norway, and was friends with Herman "Jackrabbit" Johannsen, which is part of our heritage, here in Quebec.
I'm related to the "Paul Revere of Texas", John-Marie Durst. He served in the military during the last couple of years of the War of 1812. When he left Louisiana for Texas (the second time) he established a mercantile business, became active in local politics, and was a Spanish/French/German translator and also knew several Native American languages.
He served as an interpreter for the Mexican government during negotiations with Native Americans; it's also said he founded the town of Mount Sterling in Texas. During the 1830's he was serving as a Texas representative in legislative matters concerning Mexico, and it was from Mexican friends he learned about Santa Ana moving forces into Texas, so he rode 960 miles north to warn the "state" government of Santa Ana's coming attack.
His brother (my great 5x uncle) also fought at the Alamo.
We've traced some of our roots back to Ireland, Scotland, and Czech Republic, but I don't know if any of them were historically important.
I'm related to William the Conqueror (Conquered England in the 10 hundreds or something) and the Spanish Royal family from hundreds of years ago (Isabella and Ferdinand's family - I think Katharine of Aragon and Eleanor of Castille..). So, I'm related (distantly) to the British royal family and spanish..I mean the old royal families, not the one now...:) lol Geoffrey Chaucer (he's actually portrayed in The Knight's Tale movie...the guy walking round with nothing on... :o)... My roots go back to Spain, Ireland, Scotland, England Shetland Isles and more recently Holland....
erm. . . well I know my grandfather fought in WWII. (my parents waited a while to have kids) I think that's cool. And. . . I think he's pulling my leg, but a relative of mine keeps telling me that he's Joe Pesci's (actor, if you didn't know,) second cousin or something like that. Not so sure if he's telling the truth though haha
I'm related to Ulysses S. Grant. He's my eight great uncle. If you are unaware, Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th president of the United States of America, and he was the general for the North during the Civil War. He defeated Robert E. Lee's army, which led to the abolishment of slavery.
And as a neat little side note, my grandfather (James Robert Grant) fought in the Vietnam War and received a purple heart.
On my mom's side of the family, going backwards in time... I'm related to Zachariah Rhodes, who was one of the founders of the colony of Rhode Island, back when America was still under British rule. He was put in jail at one point for saying "the church has not to do with matters of state!" when he refused to pay the toll that the church had placed on a bridge. Also I'm a close descendant of William The Conquerer, and my family tree has been traced all the way to Alexander The Great as well.
On my dad's side of the family... I don't really know, but I'm half Italian thanks to him.
i'm related to this guy named Jim Lovell. He has the same last name as me xD
"the first of only three people to fly to the Moon twice, and the only one to do so without making a landing. Lovell was also the first American to fly in space four times."