Darwin’s Family Tree

The Darwins

Charles Darwin

1809 – 1882
World famous scientist and author of the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection – click here to visit our Darwin biography and learn all about Darwin’s life, from his days as a naughty schoolboy, to his adventures on board HMS Beagle.

Emma Wedgwood
(Became Emma Darwin when she married Charles)
1808 – 1896
Darwin’s wife and mother to his ten children, Emma was a kind and patient person, who helped and encouraged her husband even though his theories sometimes conflicted with her own beliefs.

Anne Darwin
1841 – 18951
Anne (or Annie as she was known to her family) was Darwin’s second eldest child but his eldest daughter. According to Darwin she was very affectionate and playful. Unfortunately, Anne caught scarlet fever in 1849, and died when she was only 10 years old. It is thought that Darwin never fully recovered from the death of the “joy of the household“.

Robert Darwin
1766 – 1848
Charles Darwin’s father, Robert Darwin was a popular local Doctor. Although they didn’t always agree on things, Darwin greatly admired his father and thought he was one of the cleverest people he knew.

Erasmus Darwin
1731 – 1802
Darwin’s grandfather was a well-known inventor and scientist well before Charles was born. He was a member of the Lunar Society which was a group of men who met when there was a full moon to discuss their brilliant new ideas. He is often known as the Grandfather of Evolution, because he thought of the idea that living things had evolved from less developed creatures over a very long period of time.

Josiah Wedgwood
1730 – 1795
Darwin’s grandfather on his mother’s side, Josiah Wedgwood was an English potter who founded the Wedgwood Company, which still exists today. He was a slavery abolitionist, which meant that he helped campaign to stop slavery in Britain. He was also a member of the Lunar Society with Erasmus Darwin.

Susanna Wedgwood (became Susanna Darwin when she married Robert)
1865 – 1817
Darwin’s mother died when he was only eight years old and although his sisters had been very fond of her, he couldn’t remember her very well. She was the sister of his Uncle, Josiah Wedgwood II.

Josiah Wedgwood II
1769 – 1843
Darwin’s uncle continued his father’s pottery firm and like his father he was also an abolitionist, and detested slavery. When Darwin’s father, Robert told him that he couldn’t go on the HMS Beagle unless one other man thought it was a good idea, it was Josiah Wedgwood II who supported him and convinced Robert to change his mind.