Which "rabbit" are you most closely connected to?

Question

Things are hopping in this Year of the Rabbit (according to the Chinese calendar) so we're looking at all things rabbits in the Connection Finder this week.

Here are the bunnies we're connected to; what's your connection?

• Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny
• Bunney Brooke, Australian actress and director
• Dick Bruna, creator of the rabbit, Miffy
• Thornton Burgess, author of the Peter Cottontail stories
• Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland which features the White Rabbit
• Alex Colville, artist who designed the image on the Canadian five-cent coin featuring a rabbit
• Bunny DeBarge, Motown singer
• Ruth Durand, author of "The Tale of the Enchanted Bunny"
• Junius Matthews, the voice of "Rabbit" in Winnie the Pooh
• Beatrix Potter, author of Peter Rabbit stories
• James Stewart, best friend of the rabbit/pooka in Harvey

Which one is most closely connected to you? If you're one of the 28.8 million of us who are connected to each other on our big tree you can check with the Connection Finder.

In addition to the above and our many Featured Connections, you can check your connections to any category on WikiTree, such as Famous Actors of the 20th Century and Voice Actors. Click the green MyConnections button in the upper right hand corner of the category page.

Let us know how you're related below. If you want to share your connection on social media with cousins and friends, click the "get shareable image" below the results, e.g. Lisa Marie Presley and Mel Blanc. Then just upload it along with the URL of your direct connection. (Please refrain from sharing your connection on the featured profiles themselves, though. It clutters conversations on research and collaboration. Thanks!)

Help us find and improve the profiles for next week's Pi Day Mathematicians feature.

Comments

I wondered why I’ve always LOVE bugs bunny! This is my glass bought years ago. Hummmm

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Janine isleman is my 8th cousin through the earl descendants in England.

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Way too late, but I wanted to add Buck Taylor who I wish I would have thought about before. 

Answer 1

I'm related to Thornton Burgess, he's my 7th cousin, twice removed.

My connections are: 30 degrees from Mel Blanc, 25 degrees from Bunney Brooke, 30 degrees from Dick Bruna, 17 degrees from Thornton Burgess, 24 degrees from Charles Dodgson, 20 degrees from Alex Colville, 25 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 19 degrees from Ruth Durand, 20 degrees from Junius Matthews, 24 degrees from Beatrix Heelis, 20 degrees from Jimmy Stewart

Answer 2

Thornton Burgess - 7th cousin 4x removed

Lewis Carroll - 12th cousin, 3x removed

Jimmy Stewart - 13th cousin, 1x removed. For any Stewart relatives via his Thompson ancestry, there are four consecutive generations marked Uncertain—worth some scrutiny and research.

And this requires mention of my late felis catus Doc, so named so I could daily ask Whassup Doc in my best, but not very good, imitation of Mel Blanc.

Comments

I feel your pain, T Stanton. My closest connection to Jimmy Stewart is through those uncertain Thompson ancestors in Chester County and Fayette County, Pa.

Answer 3

16 degrees from Ruth Durand. 16th cousin of husband, Albert Cyrus Durand. MRCA William de Brereton (abt 1349 - 1426).

18 degrees from Junius Matthews.

19 degrees from Thornton Burgess. 16th cousin 1 time removed. MRCA Margaret (Unknown) Meade (b. 1392).

19 degrees from Jimmy Stewart. 16th cousin 3 times removed. MRCA John (Plantagenet) of Gaunt (abt 1340 - 1399).

20 degrees from Charles Dodgson. 10th cousin 4 times removed. MRCA Margaret (Whetenhall) Roydon (abt 1494 - 1576).

20 degrees from Alex Colville. 16th cousin 1 time removed of wife, Rhoda Valentine (Wright) Colville. MRCA  Edward Berkeley (abt 1434 - bef 1506).

22 degrees from Bunny Debarge.

22 degrees from Beatrix Heelis.

23 degrees from Bunney Brooke.

27 degrees from Dick Bruna.

30 degrees from Mel Blanc.

Answer 4

Thornton Burgess, 10th cousins four times removed

Lewis Carrol, 10th cousins five times removed

Jimmy Stewart, 20th cousins 7 times removed

Alex Colville, 16 Degrees (added more connections, so this might change)

Answer 5

16 degrees from Ruth Durand
18 degrees from Jimmy Stewart (14th cousins, 2x removed)
18 degrees from Thornton Burgess (6th cousins, 5x removed)
19 degrees from Alex Colville
21 degrees from Bunney Brooke
21 degrees from Charles Dodgson (12th cousins, 5x removed)
21 degrees from Junius Matthews (11th cousins, 4x removed)
23 degrees from Bunny DeBarge
23 degrees from Beatrix Heelis
24 degrees from Dick Bruna
29 degrees from Mel Blanc

Answer 6

Ancestors and Cousins

•  19 degrees from James Stewart, 11^th cousin – MRCA – of Marion (Cuninghame) Cunninghame (bef.1521-aft.1605)
• 21 degrees from Lewis Carroll, 9^th cousin, 3x removed – MRCA – of Ellen (Legh) Leycester (abt.1510-)
• 21 degrees from Thornton Burgess, 19^th cousin, 1x removed – MRCA – of Eleanor (Plantagenet) de Arundel (abt.1318-1372)

Connections

• 18 degrees from Junius Matthews
• 20 degrees from Ruth Durand
• 20 degrees from Alex Colville
• 23 degrees from Bunny DeBarge
• 23 degrees from Bunney Brooke
• 24 degrees from Beatrix Potter
• 28 degrees from Mel Blanc
• 28 degrees from Dick Bruna

Answer 7

12 degrees from Bunney Brooke
22 degrees from Lewis Carroll
24 degrees from Alex Colville

Answer 8

I was intrigued to read about Alex Colville's rabbit on a coin. He's 19 degrees from me. And here's a webpage with illustrations of his rabbit design: https://www.aci-iac.ca/online-exhibitions/the-measure-of-nature-alex-colvilles-centennial-coins/gallery/97141/

Answer 9

17 degrees from both Jimmy Stewart (9th cousin, twice removed) and Ruth Durand (no relation).

More cousins:

Thornton Burgess -- 9th cousin, twice removed

Lewis Carroll -- 11th cousin, 5 times removed

Answer 10

My closest by degrees is Jimmy Stewart at 18 degrees (though the relationship is very distant).

My closest relative is Thornton Burgess at 8th cousin, 3 times removed.

Answer 11

18 degrees from Junius Matthews (no relation)

Cousins:

Lewis Carroll--11th cousin, 5 times removed

Jimmy Stewart--14th cousin, 3 times removed

Thornton Burgess--15th cousin, 5 times removed

Answer 12

Ancestors and Cousins:

18 degrees - Janine Isleman (10th cousins, 1x) - MRCA - Jonathan Shaw
19 degrees - James Stewart (12th cousins, 1x) - MRCA - David Drummond, 2nd Lord Drummond
19 degrees - Thornton Burgess (20th cousins) - MRCA - Eleanor (Plantagenet) de Arundel
23 degrees - Lewis Carroll (11th cousins, 5x) - MRCA - John Stewart of Balveny

Connections:

18 degrees - Junius Matthews
19 degrees - Alex Colville
20 degrees - Ruth Durand
23 degrees - Bunny DeBarge
24 degrees - Bunney Brooke
25 degrees - Beatrix Potter
30 degrees - Dick Bruna
31 degrees - Mel Blanc

Answer 13

• 19 degrees - Ruth Durand
• 20 degrees - Burney Brooke
• 20 degrees - Thornton Burgess - 15C5R - MRCA - Joane (Bruley) Danvers (abt. 1396 - aft. 1469)
• 20 degrees - Junius Matthews
• 20 degrees - Jimmy Stewart - 19C4R - MRCA - Elizabeth (Samlesbury) de Holand (abt. 1253 - aft. 1311)
• 21 degrees - Alex Coville
• 24 degrees - Lewis Carroll - 12C8R - MRCA - John Danvers MP (abt. 1390 - 1449)
• 25 degrees - Bunny DeBarge
• 26 degrees - Beatrix Potter
• 30 degrees - Mel Blanc
• 30 degrees - Dick Bruna

Answer 14

I am most closely connected to Thornton Burgess at 19 degrees of separation.

Cousins:

• 19 degrees from Thornton Burgess
  • 4 branches (4-9-3-4) • 15C3R
• 20 degrees from Jimmy Stewart
  • 4 branches (6-3-4-8) • 15C5R
• 22 degrees from Charles Dodgson
  • 4 branches (6-1-2-14) • 9C5R

No Relationship Found

• 20 degrees from Junius Matthews
  • 4 branches (9-5-2-5)
• 21 degrees from Alex Colville
  • 3 branches (1-8-13)
• 21 degrees from Ruth Durand
  • 5 branches (1-9-5-3-4)
• 22 degrees from Bunny DeBarge
  • 4 branches (2-2-12-7)
• 22 degrees from Beatrix Heelis
  • 5 branches (3-3-2-9-6)
• 25 degrees from Bunney Brooke
  • 4 branches (2-9-5-10)
• 26 degrees from Mel Blanc
  • 7 branches (2-2-4-10-2-2-5)
• 29 degrees from Dick Bruna
  • 4 branches (7-8-10-5)

Comments

Hi Tommy,  

I am curious about the (7-8-10-5) etc on your response.  I haven't seen these before and am not sure to what they refer.  If you don't mind, I'd love to learn what these mean.  Thank you.

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4 branches, and then the number of connections on each branch.

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Thank you, Debbie.

Answer 15

I am an 8th cousin twice removed with Thornton Burgess, but we have 187 common ancestors.

Answer 16

I am 23 degrees from Beatrix Heelis

24 degrees from Bunney Brooke

25 degrees from Thornton Burgess

25 degrees from Charles Dodgson

25 degrees from Ruth Durand

26 degrees from Alex Colville

26 degrees from Janine Isleman

28 degrees from Junius Matthews

28 degrees from Jimmy Stewart

30 degrees from Mel Blanc

31 degrees from Bunny DeBarge

34 degrees from Dick Bruna

Answer 17

Lewis Carroll. 11th cousin. James Stewart 17th cousin, Thorton Burgess, 15th cousin

Answer 18

• 17 Degrees to Thornton Burgess - 8C2xR
• 18 Degrees to Jimmy Stewart - 18C2xR
• 18 Degrees to Janine Isleman - 10C1xR
• 19 Degrees to Alex Colville
• 19 Degrees to Ruth Durand
• 19 Degrees to Junius Matthews - 12C4xR
• 22 Degrees to Bunny DeBarge
• 22 Degrees to Bunney Brooke
• 23 Degrees to Charles Dodgson - 13C5xR
• 25 Degrees to Beatrix Heelis
• 26 Degrees to Dick Bruna
• 29 Degrees to Mel Blanc

Answer 19

Well, for a change this isn't a genealogical 'rabbit hole' for me! I am related to three 'Rabbits':

1) Thornton Burgess: 18 degrees; 19th cousins 1xr MRCA John (Holand) Radcliffe

2) James Stewart: 20 degrees: 19th cousins 2xr MRCA Elizabeth (Salmesbury) de Holand

3) Charles Dodgson: 23 degrees: 13th cousins 2xr MRCA Edith (Unknown) Boys

Other non-related 'Rabbits':

18 degrees: Alex Colville; 19 degrees: Ruth Durand; 20 degrees: Bunney Brooke; 21 degrees: Junius Matthews; 23 degrees: Bunny DeBarge and Beatrix Heelis; 28 degrees: Mel Blanc and Dick Bruna

What I'm most happy with are the Peter Rabbit and Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail figurines I purchased years ago during my travels through the Lake District. They were still made in England back then!

Answer 20

I am most closely connected to Bunney Brooke at 20 degrees.