The Kennedy family () is an American

political family A political family (also referred to as political dynasty) is a family in which multiple members are involved in politics — particularly Election, electoral politics. Members may be related by consanguinity, blood or marriage; often several gene ...

that has long been prominent in

American politics In the United States, politics functions within a framework of a constitutional federal republic, federal democratic republic with a presidential system. The three distinct branches Separation of powers, share powers: United States Congress, C ...

, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from

County Wexford County Wexford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was ba ...

, Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy became the first Kennedy elected to public office, serving in the Massachusetts state legislature until 1895. At least one Kennedy family member was serving in federal elective office in every year from 1947, when P. J. Kennedy's grandson

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

became a member of Congress from

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, until 2011, when Patrick J. Kennedy II (John's nephew) retired as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. P. J.'s son Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and his wife,

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy (July 22, 1890 – January 22, 1995) was an American philanthropist, socialite, and matriarch of the Kennedy family. She was deeply embedded in the "Lace curtain and shanty Irish, lace curtain" Irish-American c ...

, had nine children, including John F. Kennedy, who served in both houses of the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

and as

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

;

Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known as RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New Yo ...

, who served as

U.S. Attorney General The United States attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The attorney general acts as the principal legal advisor to the president of the ...

and as a

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

;

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts who served as a member of the United States Senate from 1962 to his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic Party and ...

, who served more than 46 years in the U.S. Senate; and

Jean Kennedy Smith Jean Ann Kennedy Smith (February 20, 1928 – June 17, 2020) was an American diplomat, activist, humanitarian, and author who served as United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1993 to 1998. She was a member of the Kennedy family, the eighth of ...

, who served U.S. ambassador to Ireland. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. serves as the U.S.

Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...

in the cabinet of the

second presidency of Donald Trump Donald Trump's second and current tenure as the president of the United States began upon Second inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration as the List of presidents of the United States, 47th president on January 20, 2025. On his first ...

. Other Kennedy descendants include members of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

, two U.S. ambassadors, one U.S. envoy, a

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

, three state legislators (one of whom also served in the U.S. House of Representatives), and one

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

. Joseph and Rose's daughter Eunice played a vital role in establishing the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (part of the

National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in 1887 and is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Service ...

) and the

Special Olympics Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports partners in 172 countries. Special Ol ...

. Other descendants of Joseph and Rose Kennedy have been lawyers, authors, and activists on behalf of those with physical and intellectual disabilities.

History

According to genealogist Brian Kennedy in his work ''JFK's Irish O'Kennedy Ancestors'', the Kennedys—who would go on to play a significant role in the United States of America—originated from an Irish clan called Ó Cinnéide Fionn (which, along with the Ó Cinnéide Donn and Ó Cinnéide Ruadh, were the three Irish Gaelic Ó Cinnéide clans who ruled the

Kingdom of Ormond The Kingdom of Ormond (Modern Irish: - "East Munster") was a short-lived kingdom in medieval Ireland. It existed in 12th century AD, comprising the eastern part of Munster, in what is now County Tipperary, with parts of County Kilkenny and Coun ...

). In 1546, their progenitor Diarmaid Ó Cinnéide Fionn became the owner of Knigh Castle, located close to what is today Puckane,

County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...

. In 1740, having lost out to the New English order in the

Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland (; , ) was a dependent territory of Kingdom of England, England and then of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1542 to the end of 1800. It was ruled by the monarchs of England and then List of British monarchs ...

, they moved to Dunganstown,

New Ross New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, on the River Barrow on the border with County Kilkenny, northeast of Waterford. In 2022, it had a population of 8,610, making it the fourth-largest t ...

. Patrick Kennedy was born there. Patrick Kennedy (1823–1858) and Bridget Murphy (1824–1888) sailed from Ireland to

East Boston East Boston, nicknamed Eastie, is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, which was annexed by the city of Boston in 1836. Neighboring communities include Winthrop, Massachusetts, Winthrop, Revere, Mas ...

in 1849. Patrick worked in East Boston as a barrel maker, or cooper, and had five children with Bridget. Their youngest, Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy, went into business and served in the Massachusetts state legislature from 1884 to 1895. His wife's brother, Charles Hickey, served as mayor of Brockton, Massachusetts. P.J. and his wife, Mary Augusta Hickey, had four children. Their oldest was Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kennedy Sr., a businessman who amassed a private fortune in banking and securities trading, which he further expanded by investing in filmmaking and real estate. He also founded Somerset Importers and owned Chicago's

Merchandise Mart The Merchandise Mart (or the Merch Mart, or the Mart) is a commercial building in Chicago Loop, downtown Chicago, Illinois. When it opened in 1930, it was the List of largest buildings, world's largest building, with of floor space. The Art De ...

. In 1914, Joseph Sr. married Rose Fitzgerald, the eldest daughter of John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, who served six years as

mayor of Boston The mayor of Boston is the head of the municipal government in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Boston has a mayor–council government. Boston's mayoral elections are nonpartisan (as are all municipal elections in Boston), and elect a m ...

and six years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The couple had nine children: Joseph Jr. (1915–1944),

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

(called Jack) (1917–1963), Rose Marie (called Rosemary) (1918–2005), Kathleen (called Kick) (1920–1948), Eunice (1921–2009),

Patricia Patricia is a feminine given name of Latin language, Latin origin. Derived from the Latin word ''Patrician (ancient Rome), patrician'', meaning 'noble', it is the feminine form of the masculine given name Patrick (given name), Patrick. Another we ...

(1924–2006),

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

(called Bobby) (1925–1968),

Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...

(1928–2020) and

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

(called Ted) (1932–2009). Joseph Sr. was appointed by President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

as the first chairman of the

Securities and Exchange Commission The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market m ...

(SEC), chairman of the

Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The c ...

, and U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1940. He served from 1947 to 1949 on The Hoover Commission (the "Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government"), which was appointed by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Harry Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

to recommend administrative changes in the federal government. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy was named Papal Countess of the Holy Roman Church by

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...

in 1951 in recognition of her "exemplary motherhood and many charitable works."

Continued public service

Every Kennedy elected to public office has served as a Democrat, while other members of the family have worked for the party or held Cabinet posts in Democratic administrations. Many have attended

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, and the family has contributed greatly to that university's

John F. Kennedy School of Government The John F. Kennedy School of Government, commonly referred to as Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), is the school of public policy of Harvard University, a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard Kennedy School offers master's de ...

. Joseph Sr. expected his eldest son, Joseph Jr., to go into politics and to ultimately be elected president. Joseph Jr. was elected as a Massachusetts delegate to the

1940 Democratic National Convention The 1940 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 15 to July 18, 1940. The convention resulted in the nomination of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for an unprecedented third term. Secretary ...

and enlisted in the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

after the United States entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was killed in 1944 when the bomber he was piloting exploded in flight. Joseph Sr.'s desire to see the family involved in politics and government then focused on John, who had considered a career as a journalist, having authored a book ('' Why England Slept'') and done some reporting for

Hearst Newspapers Hearst may refer to: Places * Hearst, former name of Hacienda, California, United States * Hearst, Ontario, town in Northern Ontario, Canada * Hearst, California, an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, United States * Hearst Island, a ...

. After returning from Navy service, John served in the

representing Massachusetts's 11th congressional district from 1947 to 1953, and then as U.S. Senator from Massachusetts from 1953 to 1960. In the 1960 presidential election, John narrowly defeated Republican opponent

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

. During John's administration, Robert served as

attorney general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

, their brother-in-law

Sargent Shriver Robert Sargent Shriver Jr. (November 9, 1915 – January 18, 2011) was an American diplomat, politician, and activist. He was a member of the Shriver family by birth, and a member of the Kennedy family through his marriage to Eunice Kennedy. ...

served as director of the new

Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an Independent agency of the U.S. government, independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to communities in partner countries around the world. It was established in Marc ...

, and Ted became the U.S. Senator from Massachusetts until his death in 2009. The Kennedy administration's accomplishments include the

Alliance for Progress The Alliance for Progress () was an initiative launched by U.S. President John F. Kennedy on March 13, 1961, that aimed to establish economic cooperation between the U.S. and Latin America. Governor Luis Muñoz Marín of Puerto Rico was a close ...

with Latin America, the establishment of the Peace Corps, a peaceful resolution to the

Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...

in October 1962, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963, the

Twenty-fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution The Twenty-fourth Amendment (Amendment XXIV) of the United States Constitution prohibits both US Congress, Congress and the US states, states from requiring the payment of a Poll taxes in the United States, poll tax or any other tax to vote in ...

ending the

poll tax A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources. ''Poll'' is an archaic term for "head" or "top of the head". The sen ...

, the continuation of the Apollo spaceflight program with the goal of landing a man on the Moon, and the introduction of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and United States labor law, labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race, Person of color, color, religion, sex, and nationa ...

to Congress (signed into law by Kennedy's successor

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...

). The family was the subject of intense media coverage during and after Kennedy's presidency. Ted served in the Senate with his brother Robert (1965–1968), and was serving in the Senate when his nephew, Joseph P. II, and his son, Patrick J., served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Massachusetts's 8th congressional district (1987–1999) and Rhode Island's 1st congressional district (1995–2011), respectively. In November 2012, Joseph P. Kennedy III, son of former U.S. representative Joseph P. Kennedy II and grandson of former senior Robert F. Kennedy, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. In 2020, Joseph P. III lost the U.S. Senate primary election in Massachusetts to incumbent

Ed Markey Edward John Markey (born July 11, 1946) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of ...

, the first Kennedy to ever lose an election in the state. In the 2020s, three Kennedy family members served as U.S. ambassadors or envoys.

Victoria Reggie Kennedy Victoria Anne Kennedy (née Reggie; born February 26, 1954) is an American diplomat, attorney, and activist who served as the United States Ambassador to Austria from 2022 to 2025. She is the widow and the second wife of longtime U.S. senator T ...

, second wife of Ted Kennedy, was named in 2021 by President

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

as U.S. ambassador to Austria.

Caroline Kennedy Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (born November 27, 1957) is an American author, diplomat, and attorney who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to Australia, United States ambassador to Australia from 2022 to 2024. She previously serv ...

, daughter of President Kennedy, was named in 2022 by President Biden as U.S. ambassador to Australia; she previously served as U.S. ambassador to Japan under President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

. In the same year, Joseph P. Kennedy III was named by President Biden as U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president in the

2024 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 2024. The Republican Party (United States), Republican Party's Ticket (election), ticket—Donald Trump, who was the 45th president of ...

, originally as a Democrat, but changing his affiliation to Independent in October 2023. Family members spoke out against him, mainly due to his anti-vaccine views, and instead endorsed President

. In August 2024, two months before the election, Robert Jr. withdrew and endorsed Republican candidate

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

, who won the election. Trump nominated him to be

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...

and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 52-48.

Family tree

* Patrick Joseph Kennedy (1858–1929), married Mary Augusta Hickey ** Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr. (1888–1969), married Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald *** Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. (1915–1944) *** John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–1963) married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier ****Arabella Kennedy (1956, stillborn) **** Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (born 1957) married Edwin Arthur Schlossberg ***** Rose Kennedy Schlossberg (born 1988) married Rory McAuliffe ***** Tatiana Celia Kennedy Schlossberg (born 1990) married George Moran ****** Edwin Garrett Moran (born 2022) ***** John Bouvier "Jack" Kennedy Schlossberg (born 1993) **** John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. (1960–1999) married Carolyn Jeanne Bessette ****

Patrick Bouvier Kennedy Patrick Bouvier Kennedy (August 7, 1963 – August 9, 1963) was the youngest child of United States President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. His elder siblings were Caroline, John Jr., and Arabella. Born prematurely, Ke ...

(1963, died in infancy) *** Rose Marie "Rosemary" Kennedy (1918–2005) *** Kathleen Agnes Kennedy (1920–1948) married

William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (10 December 1917 – 9 September 1944) was a British politician and British Army officer. He was the elder son of Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, and therefore the heir to the du ...

***

Eunice Mary Kennedy Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver (née Kennedy, July 10, 1921 – August 11, 2009) was an American philanthropist. Shriver was a member of the Kennedy family by birth, and a member of the Shriver family through her marriage to Sargent Shriver, who w ...

(1921–2009) married Robert Sargent Shriver Jr. ****

Robert Sargent Shriver III Robert Sargent Shriver III (born April 28, 1954) is an American activist, attorney, and journalist. He was a member of the Santa Monica City Council from 2004 to 2012, serving as mayor pro tem in 2006 and as mayor during part of 2010. A member o ...

(born 1954) married Malissa Feruzzi and had 1 daughter **** Maria Owings Shriver (born 1955) married/divorced Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger ***** Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger (born 1989) married Christopher Michael Pratt and had 3 children ****** Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt (born 2020) ****** Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt (born 2022) ****** Ford Fitzgerald Schwarzenegger Pratt (born 2024) ***** Christina Schwarzenegger (born 1991) ***** Patrick Arnold Shriver Schwarzenegger (born 1993) ***** Christopher Schwarzenegger (born 1997) **** Timothy Perry Shriver (born 1959) married Linda Potter and had 5 children ***** Sophia Rose Shriver (born 1987) ***** Timothy Perry Shriver, Jr. (born 1988) ***** Samuel Kennedy Shriver (born 1992) ***** Kathleen Francis Shriver (born 1994) ***** Caroline Elizabeth Shriver (born 1997) **** Mark Kennedy Shriver (born 1964) married Jeanne Ripp and had 3 children **** Anthony Paul Kennedy Shriver (born 1965) married/divorced Alina Mojica and had 5 children *** Patricia Helen Kennedy (1924–2006) married/divorced

Peter Lawford Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford (né Aylen; 7 September 1923 – 24 December 1984) was an English-American actor.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', 26 December 1984. He was a member of the "Rat Pack" and the brother-in-law of US president Jo ...

**** Christopher Kennedy Lawford (1955–2018) **** Sydney Maleia Lawford (born 1956) **** Victoria Francis Lawford (born 1958) **** Robin Elizabeth Lawford (born 1961) *** Robert Francis Kennedy (1925–1968) married

Ethel Skakel Ethel Kennedy ( ; April 11, 1928 – October 10, 2024) was an American human rights advocate. She was the widow of U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, a sister-in-law of U.S. president John F. Kennedy, and a daughter of businessman George ...

**** Kathleen Hartington Kennedy (born 1951) married David Townsend ***** Meaghan Anne Kennedy Townsend (born 1977) ***** Maeve Fahey Kennedy Townsend (1979–2020) married David McKean ***** Rose Katherine "Kat" Kennedy Townsend (born 1983) ***** Kerry Sophia Kennedy Townsend (born 1991) **** Joseph Patrick Kennedy II (born 1952) married/divorced Sheila Brewster Rauch, married Anne Elizabeth "Beth" Kelly ***** Matthew Rauch Kennedy (born 1980, of first marriage) ***** Joseph Patrick Kennedy III (born 1980, of first marriage) married Lauren Anne Birchfield ****** Eleanor Kennedy (born 2015) ****** James Kennedy (born 2017) **** Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born 1954) married/divorced Emily Black, married Mary Kathleen Richardson, married

Cheryl Hines Cheryl Ruth Hines (born September 21, 1965) is an American actress and comedian. She is best known for her role as Cheryl David on HBO's ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' (2000–2024), earning two Emmy Awards, Primetime Emmy Award nominations. She also ...

***** Robert Francis Kennedy III (born 1984, of first marriage) married Amaryllis Fox ****** Bobby Kennedy ****** Cassius Kennedy ***** Kathleen Alexandra "Kick" Kennedy (born 1988, of first marriage) ***** Conor Richardson Kennedy (born 1994, of second marriage) ***** Kyra LeMoyne Kennedy (born 1995, of second marriage) ***** William Finbar "Finn" Kennedy (born 1997, of second marriage) ***** Aidan Caohman Vieques Kennedy (born 2001, of second marriage) **** David Anthony Kennedy (1955–1984) **** Mary Courtney Kennedy (born 1956) married/divorced Robert Ruhe, married Paul Hill *****Saoirse Roisin Hill (1997–2019, of second marriage) **** Michael LeMoyne Kennedy (1958–1997) married Victoria Denise Gifford ***** Michael LeMoyne Kennedy Jr. (born 1983) ***** Kyle Francis Kennedy (born 1984) ***** Rory Gifford Kennedy (born 1987) **** Mary Kerry Kennedy (born 1959) married/divorced Andrew Mark Cuomo ***** Cara Ethel Kennedy-Cuomo (born 1995) ***** Mariah Matilda Kennedy-Cuomo (born 1995) ***** Michaela Andrea Kennedy-Cuomo (born 1997) **** Christopher George Kennedy (born 1963) married Sheila Sinclair Berner *****Katherine Berner Kennedy (born 1990) *****Christopher George Kennedy Jr. (born 1992) married Erin Daigle *****Sarah Louise Kennedy (born 1994) married Jam Sulahry *****Clare Elizabeth Kennedy (born 1998) **** Matthew Maxwell Taylor Kennedy (born 1965) married Victoria Anne Strauss ***** Matthew Maxwell Taylor Kennedy Jr. (born 1993) ***** Caroline Summer Rose Kennedy (born 1994) ***** Noah Isabella Rose Kennedy (born 1998) ****

Douglas Harriman Kennedy Douglas Harriman Kennedy (born March 24, 1967) is an American journalist. He is the tenth child of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, named in honor of W. Averell Harriman, a family friend and former governor of New York. Life and career Ke ...

(born 1967) married Molly Stark ***** Riley Elizabeth Kennedy (born 1999) ***** Mary McCauley Kennedy (born 2001) ***** Rowen Frances Kennedy (born 2004) ***** George Skakel Kennedy (born 2007) ***** Anthony Boru Kennedy (born 2012) **** Rory Elizabeth Katherine Kennedy (born 1968) married Mark Daniel Bailey ***** Georgia Elizabeth Kennedy-Bailey (born 2002) ***** Bridget Katherine Kennedy-Bailey (born 2004) ***** Zachary Corkland Kennedy-Bailey (born 2007) *** Jean Ann Kennedy (1928–2020) married Stephen Edward Smith **** Stephen Edward Smith, Jr. (born 1957) **** William Kennedy Smith (born 1960) **** Amanda Mary Smith (born 1967, adopted) **** Kym Maria Smith (born 1972, adopted) *** Edward Moore Kennedy (1932–2009) married/divorced Virginia Joan Bennett, married Victoria Anne Reggie **** Kara Anne Kennedy (1960–2011, of first marriage) married/divorced Michael Allen *****Grace Elizabeth Allen (born 1994) *****Max Greathouse Allen (born 1996) **** Edward Moore Kennedy Jr. (born 1961, of first marriage) married Katherine Anne "Kiki" Gershman *****Kiley Elizabeth Kennedy (born 1994) *****Edward Moore Kennedy III (born 1998) **** Patrick Joseph Kennedy II (born 1967, of first marriage) married Amy Savell *****Owen Patrick Kennedy (born 2012) *****Nora Kara Kennedy (born 2013) *****Nell Elizabeth Kennedy (born 2015) *****Marshall Patrick Kennedy (born 2018) **Francis Benedict Kennedy (1891–1892) (died in infancy) **Mary Loretta Kennedy (1892–1972), married George William Connelly and had 1 daughter. ** Margaret Louise Kennedy (1898–1974), married Charles Joseph Burke and had 3 children.

Businesses

*''Citizens Energy Corporation'' *''Columbia Trust Company'' * FBO Pictures Corporation * George * Hialeah Park Race Track *''Intercontinental Rubber Company'' * Kennedy & Madonna LLP (law firm) *''Kenoil Corporation'' *''Marwood Group'' (healthcare-focused consulting firm) *''Mokeen Oil Company'' *''Old Colony Realty Associates'' *

RKO Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the major film studios, "Big Five" film studios of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood's Clas ...

* Somerset Imports *''Sumner Savings Bank'' *

Wolf Point, Chicago Wolf Point is the location at the confluence of the North, South and Main Branches of the Chicago River in the present day Near North Side, Chicago, Near North Side, Loop, Chicago, Loop, and Near West Side, Chicago, Near West Side Community area ...

* Wolf Point East Tower * Salesforce Tower Chicago

Philanthropy and policy institutes

* Advocates for Opioid Recovery * Best Buddies International * Citizens Energy Corporation *''Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Community of Caring'' * Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development *''Global Recovery Initiative'' * John F. Kennedy Library Foundation * Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation * Robert F. Kennedy Center For Justice & Human Rights * Smart Approaches to Marijuana *

* Stop Handgun Violence * Top Box Foods * VSA (Kennedy Center) *

White House Historical Association The White House Historical Association, founded in 1961 through efforts of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, is a private, nonprofit organization that works to preserve the history of the White House and make its history more accessible to the publ ...

Waterkeeper Alliance Waterkeeper Alliance is a worldwide network of environmental organizations founded in 1999 that work to protect bodies of water around the United States and the world. By December 2019, the group said it had grown to 350 members in 46 countries, ...

Government offices held

* Patrick Joseph Kennedy: Massachusetts state Representative, 1884–1889; Massachusetts state Senator, 1889–1895. ** Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr.: Chairman of the

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market m ...

, 1934–1935; chairman of the United States Maritime Commission, 1936–1938;

United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom The United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, formally the ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St James's is the official representative of the president of the United States and the Federal government of the United ...

, 1938–1940. *** John Fitzgerald Kennedy:

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from Massachusetts, 1947–1953;

United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

from Massachusetts, 1953–1960;

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

, 1961–1963. ****

United States Ambassador to Japan The is the Ambassadors of the United States, ambassador from the United States of America to Japan. History Beginning in 1854 with the Convention of Kanagawa, use of gunboat diplomacy by Commodore (United States), Commodore Matthew C. Perry, ...

, 2013–2017;

United States Ambassador to Australia The position of United States Ambassador to Australia has existed since 1940. Australia–United States relations, U.S.–Australian relations have been close throughout the history of Australia. Before World War II, Australia was closely aligne ...

, 2022–2024. ***

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver (née Kennedy, July 10, 1921 – August 11, 2009) was an American philanthropist. Shriver was a member of the Kennedy family by birth, and a member of the Shriver family through her marriage to Sargent Shriver, wh ...

****

Bobby Shriver Robert Sargent Shriver III (born April 28, 1954) is an American activist, attorney, and journalist. He was a member of the Santa Monica City Council from 2004 to 2012, serving as mayor pro tem in 2006 and as mayor during part of 2010. A member o ...

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

City Council member, 2004–2012; Mayor of Santa Monica, 2010. **** Mark Kennedy Shriver: Maryland state Delegate, 1995–2003. *** Robert Francis Kennedy:

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the Federal government of the United States, federal government. The attorney general acts as the princi ...

, 1961–1964; United States Senator from New York, 1965–1968. ****

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend (born July 4, 1951) is an American attorney who served as the sixth lieutenant governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. She was the first woman to serve in that role. A member of the Democratic Party, she ran ...

Lieutenant governor of Maryland The lieutenant governor of Maryland is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the Government of Maryland, state government of Maryland in the United States. The officeholder is elected on the same ticket as the governor of ...

, 1995–2003. **** Joseph P. Kennedy II: United States Representative from Massachusetts, 1987–1999. ***** Joseph P. Kennedy III: United States Representative from Massachusetts, 2013–2021; U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland, 2022–2024 **** Robert Francis Kennedy Jr.:

, 2025–present. ***

United States Ambassador to Ireland The United States ambassador to Ireland is the ambassador, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the United States of America to Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is considered a highly prestigious position within the United States F ...

, 1993-1998 **** William Kennedy Smith: Commissioner of the District of Columbia from district 2A04, 2015–2020 *** Edward Moore Kennedy: United States Senator from Massachusetts, 1962–2009. **** Edward M. Kennedy Jr.: Connecticut state Senator, 2015–2019. **** Patrick J. Kennedy: Rhode Island state Representative, 1989–1993; United States Representative from Rhode Island, 1995–2011. In addition, some Kennedy spouses have served in government: *

Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( , ; born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. A member of the Democratic Party and son of former governor Mario Cuomo, ...

(then-husband of Kerry Kennedy):

United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development The United States secretary of housing and urban development is the head of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and thirteenth in the presidential line of succession. T ...

, 1997–2001. After their divorce, he served as New York state attorney general (2007–2010) and New York governor (2011–2021). *

(widow of

): U.S. ambassador to Austria, 2022–2025 *

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...

(then-husband of

Maria Shriver Maria Owings Shriver ( ; born November 6, 1955) is an American journalist, author, a member of the prominent Shriver and Kennedy families, former First Lady of California, and the founder of the nonprofit organization The Women's Alzheimer's M ...

governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The Governor (United States), governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constit ...

, 2003–2011 *

(husband of

president of the Chicago Board of Education The Chicago Board of Education is led by a president. Since the 1995 Chicago School Reform Amendatory Act went into effect, the president has been directly appointed by the mayor of Chicago, rather than being elected among the members of the bo ...

, 1955–1960; director of the

, 1961–1966; director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, 1964–1968;

U.S. ambassador to France The United States ambassador to France is the official representative of the president of the United States to the president of France. The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with France since the American Revolution. Relations w ...

, 1968–1970 There was a member of the Kennedy family in public office nearly continuously from 1946, when John F. Kennedy was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, until early 2011, when Patrick J. Kennedy left the House. The only exception was the period between John F. Kennedy's resignation from the Senate on December 22, 1960, and his assumption of the office of President on January 20, 1961. In 2013, two years after Patrick Kennedy left the House, Joseph P. Kennedy III was elected U.S. Representative from Massachusetts and served until 2021. Below is a timeline of the Kennedys' tenure in the U.S. Congress.

Timeline

Heraldry

On March 17, 1961, John F. Kennedy was presented with a

grant of arms A grant of arms or a governmental issuance of arms is an instrument issued by a lawful authority, such as an officer of arms or State Herald, which confers on a person and his or her descendants the right to bear a particular coat of arms or a ...

for all the descendants of Patrick Kennedy (1823–1858) from the Chief Herald of Ireland. The design of the arms (three gold closed helmets on a black field) strongly alludes to symbols in the coats of arms of the O'Kennedys of Ormonde and the FitzGeralds of Desmond, from whom the family is descended. The crest is an armored hand holding four arrows between two olive branches, elements taken from the coat of arms of the United States of America and also symbolic of Kennedy and his brothers.

References

Citations

Book sources

* * Haas, Lawrence J. ''The Kennedys in the World: How Jack, Bobby, and Ted Remade America's Empire'' (2021
excerpt
* Hunt, Amber, and David Batcher. ''Kennedy Wives: Triumph and Tragedy in America's Most Public Family'' (2014
excerpt
* Kessler, Ronald. ''The sins of the father: Joseph P. Kennedy and the dynasty he founded'' (St. Martin's Press, 1996). * Klein, Edward. ''The Kennedy Curse: Why tragedy has haunted America's first family for 150 years'' (Macmillan, 2003). * Leamer, Laurence. ''The Kennedy women: The saga of an American family'' (Ballantine Books, 1996)
excerpt
* Leamer, Laurence. ''The Kennedy Men: 1901-1963'' (2001
excerpt
* Leamer, Laurence. ''Sons of Camelot: The Fate of an American Dynasty'' (2005
excerpt
* Nasaw, David. ''The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy'' (2012); scholarly biography.

External links

The Kennedys: A Family Tree
'' St. Petersburg Times''
Kennedy Family Tree
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''
The Forrestal Kennedy Connection

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 Politics of the United States, American political figures and List of United States political families, political families, along with other informa ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy family American families of Irish ancestry Business families of the United States First families of the United States Roman Catholic families County Wexford Irish-American culture Irish-American history Massachusetts Democrats People from Barnstable, Massachusetts People from Boston People from Brookline, Massachusetts Irish-American culture in Massachusetts