Family Connections From Clinton To Jolie And Obama To Pitt

The presidential candidates could have star qualities - and they also have stars in their families, according to a study genealogy that connects Hillary Clinton to Angelina Jolie and Barack Obama to Brad Pitt.

The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston on Wednesday published a study in which it traced the family trees of the three presidential candidates found they all had famous family, both dead and alive.

She found Senator Barack Obama in Illinois, whose mother is from Kansas, can claim at least six presidents of the United States as distant cousins, including George W. Bush and his father, Gerald R. Ford, Lyndon B. Johnson, Harry S. Truman, and James Madison.

But other cousins include British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill - and Brad Pitt who is a ninth cousin Edwin Hickman tied back who died in Virginia in 1769.

"Obama maternal ancestry includes the mid-Atlantic and Southern states," said Christopher Child, a genealogist with NEHGC which dates back to 1845 and describes itself as the oldest in the United States and the largest non-profit organization genealogical .

Meanwhile the Democratic challenger, Senator from New York Hillary Clinton, a common ancestor with partner Pitt, the actress Angelina Jolie. Clinton and Bush are ninth cousins twice removed linked by Jean Cusson of Saint-Sulpice, Quebec, who died in 1718.

Child said Clinton is also a cousin of a number of leading figures of French-Canadian descent, including Madonna (ninth cousins linked by Pierre Gagné, Quebec who died in 1656) Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette and, as the author Jack Kerouac. Another cousin is Camilla Parker-Bowles, wife of Prince Charles.

"It is common to find people of French-Canadian descent to be linked to many other Canadians french, including notables," said the child in a statement.

Republican Candidate, Arizona, Senator John McCain, is sixth cousin Laura Bush, but it was difficult to follow other ancestors.

"McCain descent is almost entirely south," said the child, adding that fact connections difficult to track because of problems with the genealogy of the region.

Child says he made famous cousins conversation, but it "should not influence voters."

"But at a time when the race focuses on highlighting the differences, the candidates will benefit from learning about famous cousins and their various family history," he said.