As my Shakespeare genealogy post was so popular, I thought I’d do a similar thing with a few more famous people – and as Charles Dickens is my favourite author it wasn’t difficult to choose one! Much of Charles Dickens’ genealogy is fairly well documented, but I’ve also investigated a few of the ‘side lines’ in case you find a link to your own tree.
(By the way – if you want to learn how to trace your ancestors, have a look at my Step-by-Step Beginner’s Course)
I am not going to go too much into the direct descendants of Dickens. It’s likely that if you are a direct descendant then you are going to know about it already, and many of his descendants are well known, particularly within the theatrical and publishing professions. A full tree of his descendants can be seen at www.charlesdickenspage/dickens_family_tree.pdf
His direct descendants include:
- Monica Dickens (writer 1915-1992). Author of One Pair of Feet and many other great novels.
- Brian Forster (actor b.1960 Los Angeles, USA). He was in The Partridge Family in the 1970s.
- Gerald Charles Dickens (actor b. 1963) Performs one man shows based on the novels of Charles Dickens.
- Lucinda Anne Dickens Hawksley (biographer, author & lecturer b. 1970)
- Harry Lloyd (actor b.1983 in London) Played Will Scarlett in the BBC production of Robin Hood.
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) had ten children and they are:
- Charles Culliford Boz (1837-1896). Editor & writer. Married Elisabeth Matilda Moule EVANS. They had 8 children.
- Mary Angela (1838-1896)
- Catherine Elizabeth Macready (1839-1929)
- Walter Savage Landor (1841-1863) Officer in the Indian Army. Died in Calcultta, India.
- FrancisJeffrey (1844-1886) Member of the Canadian Mounted Police. Fought in the Battle of Fort Pitt 1885. Died during a lecture tour in Illinois, USA.
- Alfred D’Orsay Tennyson (1845-1912). Emigrated to Australia & made lecture tours on his father’s life. Married Augusta Jessie DEVLIN in Victoria Australia & they had 2 daughters. Later married Emily RILEY. Died in New York during a lecture tour.
- Sidney Smith Haldiman (1847-1872) Royal Naval Officer. Died at sea & buried in the Indian Ocean.
- Henry Fielding (1849-1933) Kings Counsel & Barrister. Marred Marie ROCHE & they had 5 children.
- Dora Annie (1850-1851) Died in infancy.
- Edward Bulwer Lytton (1852-1902) Australian politician. Married Constance DESAILLY. Died in Moree, New South Wales, Australia.
There is some scope for Australian and American family historians here!
Charles Dickens’ ancestors can only be taken back with any confidence to his grandfather, William Dickens (1719-1785) who married an Elizabeth BALL (1745-1824). Given that their son, John was born in Marylebone, London in 1785, the BALL family may be of London. There is an Elizabeth BALL baptized in Finsbury on 16th October, the daughter of Francis and Elizabeth, but there could be hundreds with this name born in that year, so finding a definite link to this line would be very difficult.
Much more is known about Charles’s father, John Dickens (1785-1851). He married Elizabeth Culliford BARROW on 30th June 1809 in London. Elizabeth was the daughter of Charles BARROW (1759-1826) and Mary CULLIFORD (1771-1851). Charles, like John Dickens, worked at the Navy Pay Office, and was convicted of embezzling. He married Mary Culliford on 27th January 1788 in Lambeth, Surrey.
According to a published tree on Ancestry, Charles Barrow was born in Bristol, the son of William Barrow and Anne CASTEELS. Obviously, this needs confirming, but it may be of interest if you have Bristol or Somerset Barrows or Casteels in your family, and worth looking into.
According to the same tree, Mary Culliford was the daughter of a Thomas Culliford and Mary GOLDSWORTH, who married in Westminster. Again, this may be worth checking if you have these names in your family. In fact, Mary’s baptism can be found on Ancestry and took place in Camden, Middlesex.
Elizabeth Barrow had several siblings, who may have living descendants, so these would be worth looking into.
John and Elizabeth DICKENS had seven other children apart from Charles. I do know that there are living descendants, as one of my closest friends is one!
- Frances Elizabeth (1810-1848). Did not marry.
- Alfred Allen (1814-1814) Died in infancy.
- Letitia Mary (1816-1874) Did not marry (as far as I know).
- Harriet Ellen (1819-1822) Died in childhood.
- Frederick William (1820-1868). Married Anna WELLER, but they separated in 1858. Died an alcoholic.
- Alfred Lamerte (1822-1860) Railway Engineer. Married Helen DOBSON in 1836 & they had 5 children:
- Alfred E Dickens
- Edmund (or Edward) Henry Dickens
- Florence Helen Dickens
- Katherine L. Dickens
- Augusta Maud Dickens
- Augustus (1827-1866) Married Harriet LOVELL but he left her and emigrated to Chicago, USA, where he had 3 children by Bertha PHILLIPS, the daughter of an English solicitor. The children (all born in the US) are:
- Bertram Dickens
- Adrian Dickens
- Amy Bertha Dickens
For a connection to Charles by marriage, we can look at Dickens’ wife’s family. If you have Scottish HOGARTHs in your family tree you might be interested in this.
Charles Dickens’ wife was Catherine Thompson HOGARTH. She was born in Edinburgh, the daughter of George Hogarth (1780-1870) a newspaper editor and music critic. He was born in the Scottish borders and was married to Georgina THOMPSON in 1814 in Edinburgh. Catherine was their first child, and the other children were:
- Robert Hogarth (1816-?)
- Mary Hogarth (1819-1837). She lived with Charles and Catherine in the early years of their marriage until her early death.
- George Thomson Hogarth (1821-?)
- William Thomson Hogarth (1823-?)
- Georgina Hogarth (1827-1917) Became Charles Dickens’ housekeeper. Later published the letters of Charles Dickens.
George HOGARTH senior was the son of Robert HOGARTH and Mary SCOTT, and according to my own searches he had several siblings all born in Channelkirk: Robert (1785), John (1786), Mellicent (1788), Christian (1790), Mary (1791), Jane (1792) and Mary (1794). These details need confirming.
It is not surprising that many of Charles Dickens’ descendants are theatrical. He was a great lover of the theatre and produced and performed in several plays himself. He was a great character – but hampered all his life by the financial problems of his father and several of his siblings. His marriage was not a happy one, and he had at least one mistress – the actress Ellen Ternan. He seems to have had good relationships with his daughters, two of whom can be seen in this picture.
He is first on my fantasy dinner party list. I think he probably was great fun to have at parties – especially in his younger days. My own historical fiction writing is often influenced by his style and he tends to pop up now and then as a kind of guest character! Next year will be the 200th anniversary of his birth – cause for much celebration!
More information on Charles Dickens’ genealogy can be seen at MyHeritage.com. I would like to hear from anyone who has Charles Dickens in their family tree, or would like any help in finding a connection.
Recommended Books:
The Complete Works of Charles Dickens (Annotated)
The data given above on Charles Dickens sisters is imcomplete. In fact, two of Charles Dickens Sisters, Frances and Letita, did marry and have children.
Frances Elizabeth Dickens Burnett: married Henry Augustus Burnett (1811-1893) and had two sons, listed in the censuses.
—Henry Augustus Jr. 1839-1849. This boy probably served as the model for Tiny Tim in a Christmas Carol. He was a sickly cripple who died at age ten.
— Charles Dickens Burnett 1841-1881. Nothing is known of him except that he died in England.
Letita Mary Dickens Austin. In 1837 she married a prominent civl Engineer, Henry Austin (1813-1861).
They had one son, only known in the English records via Henry’s Will: Charles Dickens Austin, born about 1842. After he received his father’s inheritance in 1862, he disappeared from the English records.
However, there are two families in the USA who claim him as a grandparent. First he is alleged to have married Sarah Ann Culver in Illinois in 1864. They had four Children, (all sir-named Dickens) between 1866 and 1873. He left Sarah about 1874 and married Elizabeth Jane Congdon in New York. They had three sons, all sir-named Austin, between 1877 and 1883. He died in New York in 1893.
Thanks for the update Mike!
Ros
Hello my name is Maria and I am the granddaughter of Ruth Marie Dickens who was the daughter of William and Sadie Dickens. I have a Dickens family book that was my fathers that was printed in 2010 with information on the Dickens with some of the pictures that you have on your site. My brother Daniel and I are trying to find out if the Dickens have any type of Indian blood. As the story is told to us that our Grandmother Ruth Dickens was 1/2 Seneca Indian. So we are trying to find out that information. Grandmother Dickens passed away in 1993 where are grandfather David Lewis passed away in 1983. If you have an information we would greatly helpful.
Letitia Dickens married Henry Austin. This is rather well known, and certainly Peter Ackroyd discusses Henry quite a bit – he provided information to Dickens re: the poor who were being displaced as the railroad lines were built. After Henry’s death in 1862, Dickens supported Letitia, one of the many relatives and friends he supported financially during his lifetime.
Letitia Dickens was married to Henry Austin – this is discussed several times in Peter Ackroyd’s biography of Dickens. Dickens and Austin corresponded fairly frequently. Austin was a civil engineer who helped build the railroad lines – he provided Dickens with information re: the poor who were being displaced by the railroads, information which Dickens worked into various of his novels. After Austin’s death in 1862, Dickens helped support his sister Letitia, one of several family members and friends he supported financially during his lifetime.
Hi! My information says that Letitia Mary Dickens did marry – Henry Austin, artist and architect, married in 1837. These letters from Charles Dickens to his sister identify her as “Mrs. Henry Austin.” http://www.worldcat.org/title/autograph-letter-signed-with-initials-london-to-his-sister-letitia-mrs-henry-austin/oclc/489057500
Rumour in my family is that Henry Austin’s sister was a woman named Sarah Jane Spencer Austin – my great, great, great grandmother. That bit of the history I’m still trying to verify.
Excellent! Thanks for this interesting bit of information!
Hi There is a place in India Yercaud, a place by name Tipperary, it has connections with Charles Dickens family. There are cemtries of the Dickens family as well. Please visit http://www.tipperary.in for further details.
My husband’s family believes that they are related to Charles Dickens. My husbands great great grandfather was Charles G. Dickens born about 1882 in England and they think that he was a 1st cousin of the author. He married Clara Bell Mason born in 1883 in Ireland and they had a child by the name Elizabeth born in England. I cannot find any connection about a Charles G. Dickens maried to a Clara Bell Mason and Dickens the author. Do you have any informaton which may verify if they are related to Charles Dickens the author or not?
Hi Louise. I did a quick search for this marriage and the birth of Elizabeth, but have not been able to find anything – also I can’t find them in the 1911 census. You may need to further check the details. Have you got copies of birth and marriage certificates to verify the line back to Charles G? Once you’ve verified this, if you could find a marriage cert. for him and Clara, this would give his father’s name, and you hopefully could work back then and find the link.
If you need any further help, professionally, please contact me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com.
Best wishes
Ros
I am working on a possible relationship with Charles Dickens. I have Frank E Dickens (1869 Vermont – 1947 Colorado) and Violet Perham (1874 Vermont – 1927 Colorado). A baby book says Franks parents are Frank Dickens and Alice Holmes. What would be the best way to see if they are related to Charles Dickens
Hi Vivian
You just need to research your family’s tree back in the usual way using the proper original sources, and then try and join the dots to any known relatives of Charles Dickens. If you need any professional help, please email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com.
Best wishes
Ros
Hello Ros. My paternal grandma who was the family genealogist had a connection with Monica Dickens and between them (I think) determined that we were related to Charles Dickens through Sarah Latham who married Charles’ uncle William (1783-1826). Sadly, I have disproved this but we still have a Dickins line. I am keen to see if there is a relationship through a line I have not yet researched. Our Dickins line were from Plymouth (John Dickins 1793-1871) who emigrated to South Australia, and previous Dickins were from (possibly) Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire. I’m going back to Charles’ ancestry and look at his siblings and see if there are clues. Do you have any thoughts? I would appreciate it, as I would love for my Grandma’s memory to validate we are related, even if only distantly! Thanks in anticipation.
Hi Sharon
Thanks for your post. It is interesting, given that Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth. Also, although I have never been able to prove it, I do wonder if he had relatives in Northamptonshire. He spent much time there staying with his friends, the Watsons, and put on plays at Rockingham Castle. I did some research for someone who was also tracing possible Dickens relatives, and while I was not able to prove anything there, I did find that there was quite a cluster of Dickens names in Northamptonshire. I wonder whether it might be worth looking into the Watson family (Richard and Lavinia) to see if there is a family connection there. It may be that your family connection comes from further back in the line. Let me know if you get anywhere!
Ros
My family relationship with Charles Dickens, I believe is via his mother Elizabeth Culliford Barrow, who I believe was the brother of Robert Barrow, 1805-1849. My problem is I can’t fully establish this link. I have found a birth entry for a Robert Irving Barrow, son of Charles and Mary Barrow for the right date and I have seen him listed on different sites as being an uncle of Charles Dickens but records appear scant. I also know that at least two of my Robert Barrow’s children were born at Dudley Court, Silver Street, City of London, which I believe was where the company run by Culliford and Barrow and others had been based making keyboard instruments. So I have some circumstantial evidence, can anyone help with any firmer facts or further supporting evidence.
Thanks Jonathan – that’s very interesting. I hope you can find the evidence you’re looking for. Let me know if you’d like any professional help.
Ros
My name is william reeves and i found several news clippings in the elmira star gazzet newspaper family reunions between my family and the dickens family. It was listed as the reeves dickens reunions. Im especially interested in the woman whos grandmother was 1/2 Seneca indian because they were around that area. My great ancestor Vienna Reeves mom Lucinda Dickens was related to charles threw an aunt.
Hi,
My daughter was asking about our family so thought it would be a fun thing to trace back with her, I got a copy from my grandma from her side of the family which traces back to a Matthew dickens whom married a Elizabeth Chadwick, at the side it says cousin of Charles Dickens. And I found this thread online, not even sure if it’s active ha. Do you have any information on this? I could send you a copy of what I have?
Thanks.
My great grandfather James D. Cole married Catherine Dickens. Catherine’s father, James Dickens, was a cousin to Charles. I know that it is distant (I think I am an 8th cousin according to my departed grandmother Francis Garside Cole), but she did name my uncle Jerome Dickens Coleman. I have been published a few times as an educator, so …..😊. Thanks. Tim Coleman
My father’s sister, my Aunt always claimed we were related to Charles Dickens, but never told exactly how. In her later life she use to hit the Bourbon bottle actively, so I never paid much attention. Untill I found my Great Grandmother’s grave, she was Sarah Elizabeth Dickens Glover, born 1856, died 1947. She had a brother named “Eli”, and I checked some Census records that show they were children of William Pomeroy Dickens b. 09/17/1821 d. 06/08/1899 and wife, Caroline Stone Dickens b. 08/01/1834, d. 09/02/1926. Can anyone confirm or dispute my Aunt’s claim?
Hi Richard – thanks for your input.
Unless someone here has a well researched connection to your family, the only way of finding this out is by extensive research. Charles Dickens was born in 1812, so if there is a connection, William Pomeroy would be a cousin, so you would need to trace the families back to see where the connection is, which is often difficult. Do let me know if I can give you any professional help with this – info@tracingancestors-uk.com.
Cheers
Ros
Hello,
I have been told me whole life that Charles Dickens is my great-great-great-great uncle by blood. I have done the ancestry DNA kit but all I really found was a generalization of the region my heritage is from, in England and Northwestern Europe. I have always wanted to learn if I truly am related to Charles Dickens and learn of my heritage.
Hi Kayla
I think there is a different DNA test for finding a connection to specific people – but it depends on other people who are definitely connected having their DNA in the data bank – so it can still be a bit hit and miss.
The best way of trying to find this out is to trace your ancestry back – and given your surname, obviously this would be your father’s direct line.
However, it’s not usually as easy as it sounds, and depends on how straight forward the genealogy is. To be your 4 x great uncle the line would have to come down from one of his siblings. As the surname is the same, then this would have to be a male – but I think only one of his brothers survived long enough to marry and have children.
If you would like any help with this, do email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com, and we can discuss details and costs.
Best wishes
Ros
Elizabeth Ball was born in Shropshire and became a servant at Crewe family. Her husband (William Dickens) also worked for the Crewe’s. He was much older and died soon after his second son’s birth. The two sons were: William and John, father of Charles Dickens. They moved between London and Cheshire with the Crewe family.
Hello,
My Mother always told me she was related to Charles Dickens, but due to her unhappy childhood she would never let me look into her family tree. My Mothers maiden name was Celia Edith Doris Barden , her Mother was Mabel Dickens from Willesden , Mabel’s Father was George Edward Godfrey Dickens also from Willesden
I would love to find out more
Kindest
Caroline
Hi Caroline
Thanks for this. It really needs proper research, tracing your mother’s maternal line back to see if there may be a possible link. Let me know if you would like professional help with this – info@tracingancestors-uk.com
Ros
Hello
I don’t know if you can help ( and it’s not substantiated in any way ) but my Nan (Emma Winifred Breeze from Birmingham UK) use to say we had a Great Aunt Austin who was a distant cousin/relative to Charles Dickens .
I was reminded of this in conversation withy daughter today .
I wondered how I would go about confirming/denying this ?
Hi Kim
It’s a very challenging exercise to try and prove a connection between two families. The trick is to find the common ancestor, and this is not easy if the common ancestor is further back than it’s been possible to trace so far. Dickens was born in Portsmouth, which is quite a way from Birmingham – but I think he may have had family in Northamptonshire, which is a little closer to Birmingham, so it’s possible his earlier ancestors came from this area. However, whether one can prove it is another matter!
The only thing I can suggest is to trace your own family’s line back as far as possible to see if the Dickens name comes up at all. Let me know if you need any professional help!
Best wishes
Ros
I have been able to link our family through finally, after many years of on and off searching. Luckily the censuses around the time was where I was able to finally see connections- it’s fascinating to find!
My connections is via William Dickens. John Dickens (Charles dad) brother.
Interestingly there one (or two) census where Letitia is recorded living with Williams Dickens and their family. I’d love to connect with other peoples info on this side
Please contact me if you feel our Dickens Line are related. EDWARD Dickens of Hatton Cheshire 1848 and his, Father Thomas Dickens 1826 Hatton Cheshire
We’ve got cutlery engraved with LMD and have been told that she is a great great grandmother (to my father in law). Seems a direct link from Dickens to Mason. Lots of paperwork I wish we could have gone through and paintings I wish we’d kept from a great aunt who was the last elderly family member. Anyone know of this link with Mason?
My great great grandfather was married to Mary Hogarth.
Thanks Lynn – however, obviously we are not talking about Catherine Hogarth’s sister, as she died very young at the age of 17 and was never married. So which Mary Hogarth would this be?
Ros