These Modern Relatives Of Historical Figures Actually Work In The Same Field Today

Christopher Columbus is a big deal in maritime circles: He sailed the ocean blue and discovered the Americas! But was that big trip the end of the Columbus family expeditions? Nay, it was just the beginning. The explorer’s 17th-generation great-grandson Cristobal Colon de Carvajala took on the task of sailing for the Spanish as a vice admiral in the navy. He was killed in 1986 during service, but that still wasn’t the end of the family biz.

It was in vogue, for a time. Magazines all over the world, even in America, exclaimed that fascism was the trendy new ideology for the future. In the 1930’s, the fascist leader in Italy was a man named Benito Mussolini. He wanted big business to team up with government to serve the greater good. In the end, he aligned with Hitler during WWII. Would that legacy be too much for granddaughter Alessandra Mussolini to run for office?

Marie Curie was a Polish woman who moved to France and made a really big discovery. As a  physicist and chemist, she was fascinated by the unseen around us, and her research led to the discovery of two brand new elements: Polonium and radium. She won Nobel Prizes in chemistry and physics, the only person to get the honor in two different sciences. She even invented the term radioactivity! Overall, Marie has inspired women and girls around the world to pursue science education. That is especially true in her own family. Ever heard of Hélène Langevin-Joliot? 

Silver-screen legend Charlie Chaplin dominated the silent film era in old Hollywood. We may have forgotten about it now, with all the surround sound. We’re spoiled! But what talent it must have taken to entertain viewers with no voice at all. Charlie just used his funny face in dozens of movies. That hat, that mustache. Those slapstick antics! The actor once explained: “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

Charles Darwin took his voyage out to the Galápagos Islands and studied a lot of birds, tortoises, and plants. After looking around and giving it some thought, he came up with a pattern he called evolution. Science still loves his idea today! Some might wonder how his own gene pool stacks up in light of his theory. For that, we need to take a look at Sarah Catherine Vogel, his modern descendent. What’s she up to, these days?

Pablo Picasso is one of the few names in the art world that is a household name. Even regular joes know this Spanish artist, and that’s rare! According to Pablo: “When I was a child, my mother said to me, ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. If you become a monk, you’ll end up as the Pope.’ Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.” Clearly, he thought greatness was inside him all along.

Glamorous gals with gams. They don’t make ’em like they used to, do they? The gorgeous Anne Gwynne was a striking strawberry blonde beauty in the old days. She came to Hollywood to become a star, and did achieve some fame as a cover girl and a WWII wall pin-up. But somewhere along the way, she got typecasted as a screaming girl in horror films. We kind of like that, though!

Booker T. Washington remains one of the biggest names in American black history. The man was an educator and adviser to several U.S. presidents, and he founded the Tuskegee Institute to help his community learn trades. Booker thought education would be the best route for advancement in those days. His idea: If you can make yourself highly technically skilled, you will be indispensable. People will beg for you to be around!

Back in the day, professional wrestling lacked the theatrics we know now. There was no funny business with character stories, and it was much more about the moves. Born in Samoa where this sport was always big, Peter Maiva was one of the first real pros in the biz. He moved to New Zealand and then America where he won titles and a place in the record books. Afterward, he enjoyed life as a family man.

Without a doubt, Sigmund Freud is the father of psychoanalysis. But as a great-great grandfather, he might be even prouder. Did you know that great-grandson George Loewenstein is a current Carnegie Mellon University professor? According to George: ​”I helped to found the field of behavioral economics, the field of neuroeconomics, and was one of the early proponents of a new approach to public policy called, variously, ‘asymmetric’ or ‘libertarian’ paternalism.”

Elvis Presley made his mark in music, without a doubt. But he also starred in a number of hit films in his day, and people loved him as an actor in Jailhouse Rock and Wild in the Country. The king isn’t around anymore, but he does have surviving ancestors. Did you know that actress Riley Keough is Elvis’s granddaughter? Without even relying on the family name, it seems she’s made it in tinsel town!

Rafael Bardem was born in Spain way back in 1889. He was a top actor in 1950’s Spanish cinema in pictures like La Pícara Molinera and Diego Corrientes. But that was a long time ago. Stars have come and gone. New names have stolen the limelight, like Javier Bardem. That name sound suspiciously similar, you say. Any relation? Yes, indeed: The younger Bardem is the grandson in the family, and he has made quite a name for himself over in America.

Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery and became a major abolitionist, writer, and orator. His name still stands out in the history books today as a changemaker among many. As it turns out, he has many decedents, and one of them is also an activist. Kenneth B. Morris is his great-great-great-grandson and the co-founder and president of Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. It’s an Atlanta-based nonprofit that tries to bring attention to modern-day slavery in the world. Yes, it’s still going on!

Albert Einstein is synonymous with genius, and for good reason. The man invented E = mc2 and the theory of relativity, which led to the creation of nuclear weapons. What a legacy! It’s hard to live in the shadow of such a scientific legend, but it seems one of his descendants has forged his own path. Thomas Martin Einstein, MD is Al’s grandson and an anesthesiologist today. Based in California, he has been putting people under since 1986.

General George Custer was a legendary officer and commander in the Civil War and the battles with Indians afterward. He once said: “I would be willing, yes glad, to see a battle every day during my life.” Some may have heard of The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also called Custer’s Last Stand. During the Sioux Wars, the tribe killed the general and every single one of his men. Yikes!

Sean Lennon is the son of singer John Lennon and artist Yoko Ono. Sean is also a creative guy, it seems: His CV currently includes composer, singer, actor, and scriptwriter. The elder Lennon never got the chance to try all these mediums, sadly. The world still remembers the day when he was killed on the street in NYC in an untimely way. Some might wonder: Does Sean think he will ever reach the success of The Beatles?

He was large and in charge. He had a custom bathtub made for the White House. President William Howard Taft seems to be remembered for being the chubbiest president we’ve ever had at 330 pounds. But maybe he should be remembered as the head of a political dynasty. Has anyone noticed how many of his decedents have made it into U.S. politics? Great-grandson William Howard Taft IV was the United States Permanent Representative to NATO and a White House advisor.

Muhammad Ali was widely considered to be the best boxer in his day and remains a legend. The athlete once explained: “I’m the greatest thing that ever lived! I’m the king of the world! I’m a bad man. I’m the prettiest thing that ever lived.” He seemed to have a high opinion of himself, but it was merited. The question is, did he pass on his greatness to the next generation?

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most famous names in architecture, and his buildings are still admired all around the world. Over his 70 year career, he designed over 1,000 structures. His approach was human harmony with the environment, which he called organic architecture. Frank actually was recognized as “the greatest American architect of all time” by the American Institute of Architects. It’s a status that is hard to live up to, but he does have one descendent in the same field.

Justin Trudeau is one of the most recognizable faces in modern politics. Maybe that’s because the ladies think he is so good-looking. They may be distracted from his backstory, though. Did you know that he is not the first Trudeau to lead Canada? Dad was Prime Minister, too! Pierre Trudeau was the 15th prime minister of Canada. Justin is number 23. The question is, do we have a case of nepotism or genetic superpowers here?

Roald Dahl is the magical man responsible for stories like Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And who can forget The BFG?  According to Roald: “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” We all have a favorite from this author, whether we saw the movie or read the book version. It has come to our attention that the Dahl family has one more author: Sophie Dahl. What is she up to, at the moment?

Frank Sinatra was known for his blue eyes and smooth tunes, as well as his killer moves. He was an incredible performer, back in the day. Frankly, Frank has a lot of fans nowadays. But it’s time to take a look at his kids to see if talent was a one-hit-wonder. Daughter Nancy Sinatra seems to prove that there is something musical going on in this family. Remember the song “Bang Bang” in Kill Bill? Yes, that was Nancy.

Harry Lloyd is a familiar face for many who watched HBO’s Game of Thrones. As Viserys Targaryen, he was cruel. But he’s also played charming characters, like Steerforth in a BBC version of David Copperfield. That famous novel was originally written by Charles Dickens. He also played Herbert Pocket in a TV version of Great Expectations, another Dickens classic. And as it turns out, he’s the great-great-great-grandson of the author!

Marco Polo was an Italian explorer and businessman who traveled all the way to China in the 1200’s. He helpfully wrote a book called The Travels of Marco Polo, which introduced the region to Europeans. Admittedly, this was all a long time ago. But researchers have tracked down his only remaining relative: Siro Polo Padolecchia. In an incredible twist of history, he travels between Monaco and China to do modern business. 

One of the most famous inventors ever is Thomas Edison, who brought us the phonograph, the lightbulb, and the motion picture camera. He created the first industrial research lab, along the way. At his death, he left behind a $12 million estate. Back then, that was enough to put him on the old-timey Forbes List! But was Thomas the genius just a fluke in the family? Looking at the success of his son, we say no.

Martin Luther King Jr. is basically a saint of the American civil rights era. He took some pretty controversial positions back in his day, when they weren’t popular, and paid the price with his life. MLK once said: ”The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Is his niece Alveda Celeste King doing that, right now?
 

George H. W. Bush, was the 41st president of the United States, right after Ronald Reagan. He had previously been the VP and the head of the CIA, and that resume would be impressive for just one man. But just a decade later, his own son ran for president. You may be more familiar with the more recent Bush, George W. Bush. Is there something special about Bushes, or what?

Cindy Crawford was one of the original supermodels in the early 1990’s. These days, we’ve traded in the concept for Instagram girls. But Cindy knew she wasn’t going to be on top forever. According to her: “The face you have at age 25 is the face God gave you, but the face you have after 50 is the face you earned.” Maybe so. But what about the face you gave birth to?

He is one of the few one-termers, but maybe he is getting his revenge now. President Jimmy Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan during a time of incredible economic pain. As an ex-prez, went on to promote social projects around the world. But now, a relative is rising in Georgia politics, where he governed before the presidency. Meet Jason Carter, the former rep for the 2nd district in the Georgia State Senate and the 2014 Dem nominee for the governor’s race.

Jane Austen is surely one of the most celebrated British authors. Her masterpieces have been made into movies left and right, like Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Many versions of her stories were made into films and TV movies, and the remakes are probably going to continue. They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But that rule just doesn’t apply to Jane Austen books, because we just love to see them in new ways for no good reason.

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and never got to live out his full term. We don’t know what he would have done if he had more time to lead. But there are some inspiring quotes that people cherish to this day. JFK once said: “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” For daughter Caroline Kennedy, the answer would also be public service.

The philosopher Confucius died in 479 BC, and he has a long line of descendants. It’s hard to keep track of them all, really. But one notable member from this 2,500-year-old bloodline is choreographer and director Kong Dexin. Officially, she is a 77th-generation relative. But she still feels pretty close to Confucius, in a way. Kong created a dance drama based on his teachings and it was performed in both China and Washington DC.

Remember Watergate? President Nixon was caught in some lies about a hotel break-in on his opponents and ended up resigning. His VP Gerald Ford took over and issued him a pardon. But he still had some harsh words to say: “The political lesson of Watergate is this: Never again must America allow an arrogant, elite guard of political adolescents to by-pass the regular party organization and dictate the terms of a national election.”

One of the most famous from President Ronald Reagan is still cited today in his party: “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Someone who has said that line over and over is actually son Michael Reagan. As a little boy, he saw his dad inspire voters with such sayings. As an adult, he carried that ideological torch as a radio host and activist.

Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks that America will never forget. Why did he attack? According to Osama, only rule by religious law would fix the Muslim world. He didn’t like the involvement of the West culturally or militarily over there, and he put his money where his mouth was. Born into a rich, secular family, it seems this son really went off the rails straight into terrorism. But what about his relatives?