Birth Name: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Date of Birth: October 11, 1884
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Death: November 7, 1962
Place of Death: New York City, New York, U.S.
Ethnicity: Dutch, English, Scottish, Irish, French, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant German, Welsh, and Belgian [Walloon]
Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the First Lady of the United States, from 1933 to 1945, as the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose birth surname she shared. She was also Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, from April 29, 1946 to December 30, 1952, U.S. Representative to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, from January 27, 1947 to January 20, 1953, and Chair of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, from January 20, 1961 to November 7, 1962.
Eleanor was born into a prominent New York family, with many notable ancestors and relatives. She was the daughter of Anna Rebecca (Hall) and Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt. Her parents were socialites. Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt were fifth cousins, once removed. Eleanor’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, Johannes Roosevelt, was a brother of Franklin’s great-great-great-grandfather, Jacobus Roosevelt. The brothers’ parents were Nicholas Roosevelt and Heyltje Jans Kunst.
ELeanor’s paternal uncle (father’s brother) was politician Theodore Roosevelt, who served as President of the United States, from September 14, 1901 to March 4, 1909, and her paternal aunts were socialite Bamie Roosevelt and poet, writer, and lecturer Corinne Roosevelt Robinson. Her maternal uncles (mother’s brothers) were champion tennis players Valentine Hall and Edward L. Hall.
Eleanor and Franklin had six children, including lawyer, politician, and businessperson Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr., writer and newspaper editor Anna Roosevelt Halsted, aviation official Elliott Roosevelt, politician and activist James Roosevelt, and businessperson John Aspinwall Roosevelt.
Eleanor’s patrilineal line can be traced to Maerten Cornelius van Rosenvelt, who was born, c. 1595, in Haarlem, Noord-Holland, Nederlands, and to his wife Cornelia Lodewyck, who was also born in Haarlem.
Eleanor’s paternal grandfather was Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. (the son of Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt and Margaret Barnhill). Theodore was born in New York, and was a prominent businessperson and philanthropist. Cornelius was also a prominent businessperson, and was the son of James Jacobus Roosevelt and Maria Van Schaack. Margaret was the daughter of Robert Barnhill and Elizabeth Potts.
Eleanor’s paternal grandmother was Martha “Mittie” Bulloch Roosevelt (the daughter of James Stephens Bulloch and Martha “Patsy” Stewart). Eleanor’s grandmother Martha was born in Connecticut, and was a socialite. James was an early Georgia settler and planter, and was the son of James Bulloch and Anne Irvine. Martha was the daughter of Daniel Stewart and Susannah Oswald. Eleanor’s great-great-grandfather James Bulloch was the son of Archibald Stobo Bulloch, a lawyer, soldier, and statesman, who was a Delegate from Georgia to the Continental Congress, in 1775, and Governor of Georgia, from April 15, 1776 to February 22, 1777.
Eleanor’s maternal grandfather was Valentine Gill Hall, Jr. (the son of Valentine Gill Hall and Susan Tonnelé). Eleanor’s grandfather Valentine was born in New York. Eleanor’s great-grandfather Valentine was born in Ireland. Susan was the daughter of John Tonnelé, who was French, and of Rebecca Waterbury. Susan was the sister of politician and farmer John Tonnele. John was the first Roman Catholic member of the New Jersey Legislature.
Eleanor’s maternal grandmother was Mary Livingston Ludlow (the daughter of Edward Hunter Ludlow and Elizabeth Livingston). Mary was born in New York. Edward was a physician and real estate broker, and was the son of Gabriel Verplanck/Ver Planck/Ver Plank Ludlow, a lawyer, who was a Master-in-Chancery, and of Elizabeth A. Hunter. Eleanor’s great-grandmother Elizabeth Livingston was the daughter of Edward Philip Livingston, who was a politician, serving as Lieutenant Governor of New York, from 1831 to 1832; and of Elizabeth Stevens Livingston. Eleanor’s great-great-grandmother Elizabeth was the daughter of Robert R. Livingston, known as “The Chancellor,” who was Chancellor of New York, from July 30, 1777 to June 30, 1801, U.S. Secretary of Foreign Affairs, from October 20, 1781 to June 4, 1783, and U.S. Minister to France, from December 6, 1801 to November 18, 1804.
Eleanor’s matrilineal line can be traced to Cornelia Lubbertse/Lubberts van Elburch, who was born, c. 1632, in Haarlem, North Holland, Netherlands, and to her mother Marie/Maria Macque.