Which apocalyptic author are you most closely connected to?

Question

With the recent passing of Cormac McCarthy, author of the post-apocalyptic novel, "The Road" and many other works, we're looking at authors of apocalyptic and dystopian literature in the Connection Finder this week.

In addition to McCarthy, here's who we're checking our connection to:

• Margaret Atwood, "The Handmaid's Tale"
• Ray Bradybury, Jr., "Fahrenheit 451"
• Octavia Butler, the Earthseed novels
• Lord George Byron, "Darkness"
• Richard Matheson, "I Am Legend"
• Walter Miller, Jr., "A Canticle for Leibowitz"
• George Orwell, "1984"
• Nevil Shute, "On The Beach"
• Upton Sinclair, "The Jungle"
• H.G. Wells, "The Time Machine"

Which one of these authors is closest to you on our single family tree? If you're one of the 29.99 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 Science Fiction Authors and Hugo Award Winners. 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. Abraham Lincoln and Cormac McCarthy. 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 Second City feature.

Comments

Note: Many people's connection to Lord George Byron will have just become more distant if their connection was through Bridget (Byron) Pinio, the wife of Jonathan Pinio. Bridget was connected as the daughter of Admiral John Byron, who was the grandfather of the Lord George Byron. However, as now discussed in her profile, Bridget was almost certainly not a daughter of Admiral John Byron and he had been disconnected as her father.

This is just another reminder that relationships and connections on Wikitree are only as good as the genealogy behind them.

---

This situation is actually one of the great benefits of these connections; it brings errors to light that are often hidden or ignored. Thanks for the corrections, Chase!

Answer 1

I am most closely connected to Margaret Attwood and Lord George Byron at 22 degrees.

Answer 2

My closest relation is Lord Byron, who is my 10^th cousin, 2x removed, and my closest connections are Lord Byron and Margaret Atwood at 17 degrees.  My 40 degree connection with Octavia Butler is the “furthest” one that I’ve seen as well as the one with the most branches.

Ancestors and Cousins

• 17 degrees from Lord George Byron – 10th cousin, 2x removed.
• 17 degrees from Margaret Atwood,  – 13th cousin, 1x removed.
• 18 degrees from Walter Miller, Jr. – 18th cousin.
• 19 degrees from Upton Sinclair  – 14th cousin, 4x removed.
• 20 degrees from Ray Bradybury, Jr. – 19th cousin.
• 21 degrees from George Orwell – 15th cousin, 1x removed

Connections

• 19 degrees from Cormac McCarthy – 6 branches (1-3-5-4-3-4)
• 20 degrees from Richard Matheson, – 4 branches (1-5-10-5)
• 22 degrees from Nevil Shute – 5 branches (6-4-3-7-3)
• 23 degrees from H.G. Wells – 4 branches (8-5-2-9)
• 40 degrees from Octavia Butler – 11 branches (3-3-3-2-3-3-5-1-3-6-9)

Answer 3

16 degrees from Margaret Atwood (7th cousins, 4x removed)
17 degrees from Walter Miller (9th cousins, 2x removed)
18 degrees from George Byron (8th cousins, 5x removed)
18 degrees from Upton Sinclair (14th cousins, 5x removed)
19 degrees from Charles McCarthy
20 degrees from Ray Bradbury (12th cousins, 3x removed)
21 degrees from Richard Matheson
22 degrees from Nevil Shute Norway
23 degrees from Eric Blair (10th cousins, 5x removed)
25 degrees from H G Wells
42 degrees from Octavia Butler

Answer 4

• 16 Degrees to Walter Michael Miller Jr (9C)
• 17 Degrees to Upton Beall Sinclair(14C3xR - Uncertain)
• 18 Degrees to George Gordon Byron (12C5xR)
• 19 Degrees to Margaret Atwood (8C2xR)
• 19 Degrees to Ray Douglas Bradbury (12C4xR)
• 22 Degrees to Charles Joseph McCarthy 
• 22 Degrees to Richard Burton Matheson
• 23 Degrees to Herbert George Wells
• 24 Degrees to Eric Arthur Blair (12C5xR)
• 27 Degrees to Nevil Shute Norway FRAeS
• 44 Degrees to Octavia Estelle Butler

Answer 5

Cousins - (Other Connection)
George Byron - 8C8R - (18 degrees)
Margaret Atwood - 10C1R- (21 degrees)   
Walter Miller - 10C1R - (22 degrees)
Eric Blair (George Orwell) - 14C5R - (25 degrees)
Upton Sinclair - 15C1R - (23 degrees)   
Ray Bradbury - 17C3R - (16 degrees)

Connections
Charles McCarthy - 25 degrees   
H G Wells - 27 degrees   
Richard Matheson - 28 degrees   
Nevil Shute Norway - 28 degrees   
Octavia Butler - 47 degrees   

Answer 6

Ancestors and Cousins:

17 degrees - Lord George Byron - (8th cousins, 5x removed)
18 degrees - Margaret Atwood - (9th cousins, once removed)
18 degrees - Walter Miller Jr. - (10th cousins, twice removed)
19 degrees - Upton Sinclair - (18th cousins)
20 degrees - Ray Bradbury Jr. - (19th cousins, once removed)
21 degrees - Kathy Nava - (10th cousins, twice removed)
23 degrees - George Orwell - (13th cousins, 3x removed)

Connections:

21 degrees - Charles McCarthy
22 degrees - Richard Matheson
24 degrees - Neville Shute
24 degrees - H.G. Wells
44 degrees - Octavia Butler

Answer 7

Margaret Atwood at 17 degrees.  She had Nickerson ancestors and some of mine were Huckins.  Two of each married in 1863.  We're cousins as well, but on a longer path through different families.

Ray Bradbury, George (Lord Byron) Noel, and Richard Matheson tie for second at 18.

Answer 8

Upton Sinclair 9c2r I think he is the closest, but a few are a close second

Answer 9

My closest by degrees is Eric Blair at 15 degrees (but a very distant cousin).

My closest relative is George Noel, an 11th cousin, 4 times removed.

Answer 10

16 degrees from Upton Sinclair. 7th cousin 1 time removed. MRCA Jane (Drury) Stith (abt 1625 -aft 1694).

18 degrees from George Gordon Lord Byron. 8th cousin 5 times removed. MRCA Mary (Berkeley) Johnes (abt 1510 - aft 1567).

19 degrees from Margaret Atwood. 14th cousin 2 times removed. MRCA James (Hamilton) Hamilton 1st Earl of Arran (abt 1475 - abt 1529).

19 degrees from Walter Miller. 10th cousin. MRCA Elizabeth (Creel) Mott (1600 - abt 1632).

20 degrees from Charles McCarthy.

20 degrees from Eric Blair (George Orwell). 12th cousin 4 times removed. MRCA George Neville (abt 1440 - 1492).

21 degrees from Ray Bradbury. 16th cousin 2 times removed. MRCA Alice (Alcock) Leigh (abt 1399 - abt 1430).

21 degrees from Richard Matheson.

22 degrees from Nevil Shute Norway.

24 degrees from H. G. Wells.

43 degrees from Octavia Butler.

Answer 11

• 19 degrees - Lord Byron
  • 11C9R - MRCA - John Danvers MP (abt. 1390 - 1449)
• 20 degrees - Margaret Atwood
  • 11C2R - MRCA - Bridget (Allgar) White (bef. 1562 - aft. 1623) and Robert White (abt. 1560 - bef. 1617)
• 21 degrees - Walter Miller
  • 11C1R - MRCA - Anna (White) Porter (1600 - 1647) and John Porter (bef. 1594 - 1648)
• 22 degrees - Ray Bradbury
  • 20C3R - MRCA - Elizabeth (Samlesbury) de Holand (abt. 1253 - aft. 1311) and Robert (Holand) de Holland (abt. 1253 - bef. 1305)
• 22 degrees - Upton Sinclair
  • 14C6R - MRCA - Joane (Bruley) Danvers (abt. 1396 - aft. 1469) and John Danvers MP (abt. 1390 - 1449)
• 24 degrees - Eric Blair
  • 14C6R - MRCA - John Danvers MP (abt. 1390 - 1449)
• 25 degrees - Cormac McCarthy
• 25 degrees - Nevil Shute Norway
• 26 degrees - Richard Matheson
• 26 degrees - H.G. Wells
• 46 degrees - Octavia Butler

Answer 12

I am most closely connected to Upton Sinclair at 19 degrees of separation.

Cousins:

• 19 degrees from Upton Sinclair (13C, 1R)
• 20 degrees from Margaret Atwood (15C)
• 20 degrees from George Noel (10C, 6R)
• 21 degrees from Walter Miller (15C, 1R)
• 22 degrees from Eric Blair (11C, 4R)
• 22 degrees from Ray Bradbury (15C, 3R)

No Relationship Found:

• 22 degrees from Charles McCarthy
• 22 degrees from Richard Matheson
• 25 degrees from Nevil Shute Norway
• 25 degrees from H G Wells
• 43 degrees from Octavia Butler

Answer 13

18 degrees from Upton Sinclair (9th cousin, 3x removed)

19 degrees from Walter Miller (9th cousin, 3x removed)

19 degrees from George Byron (9th cousin, 3x removed)

19 degrees from Charles McCarthy

20 degrees from Ray Bradbury (12th cousin, 2x removed)

21 degrees from Richard Matheson

21 degrees from Margaret Atwood (11th cousin)

22 degrees from Eric Blair (13th cousin, 5x removed)

24 degrees from Nevil Shute Norway

26 degrees from H G Wells (9th cousin, 3x removed)

45 degrees from Octavia Butler

Answer 14

I am 19 degrees from George Noel (19th cousins four times removed)

23 degrrees from Eric Blair (23rd cousin)

24 degrees from Upton Sinclair (23rd cousins once removed)

25 degrees from Margaret Atwood (23rd cousins twice removed)

26 degrees from H G Wells

27 degrees from Walter Miller (23rd cousins four times removed)

28 degrees from Ray Bradbury (23rd cousins twice removed)

28 degrees from Kathy Nava (23rd cousins three times removed)

29 degrees from Richard Matheson

30 degrees from Charles McCarthy

35 degrees from Nevil Shute

51 degrees from Octavia Butler

Answer 15

Margaret Atwood - 8th cousins once removed

Ray Bradbury - 9th cousins three times removed

Eric Blair - 13th cousins twice removed

Walter Miller - 10th cousins

George Noel (Lord Byron) - 16th cousins 8 times removed

Upton Sinclair - 19th cousins four times removed

Kathy Nava - 12th cousins once removed

Answer 16

18 degrees  Upton Sinclair               4 branches (5-2-3-8) 14th cousin 4x removed

18 degrees  Cormac McCarthy        5 branches (1-3-3-5-7)

19 degrees  Margaret Ashwood       4 branches (7-5-1-7) 19th cousin 2x removed

19 degrees  Lord George Byron      4 branches (4-3-4-9) 13th cousin 6x removed

19 degrees  Richard Matheson       5 branches (1-3-4-5-7)

19 degrees  Walter Miller Jr            3 branches (9-4-7) 13th cousin 3x removed

20 degrees  Ray Bradbury Jr          5 branches (1-8-3-5-4) 19th cousin 1x removed

22 degrees  George Orwell            2 branches (9-14) 15th cousin 4x removed

23 degrees  Nevil Shute                5 branches (6-5-4-7-3)

26 degrees  HG Wells                   5 branches (9-2-2-5-9)

44 degrees  Octavia Butler          13 branches (3-3-3-2-3-3-5-1-3-6-4-6-3)               

Answer 17

I am

•  20 degrees from Charles McCarthy
• 18 degrees from Margaret Atwood 9th c
• 18 degrees from Ray Bradbury 13th c 1xr
• 44 degrees from Octavia Butler
• 17 degrees from George Noel 12th c 4xr
• 22 degrees from Richard Matheson
• 18 degrees from Walter Miller 8th c 1xr
• 23 degrees from Eric Blair 12th c 2xr
• 23 degrees from Nevil Shute Norway
• 19 degrees from Upton Sinclair 14th c 2xr
• 24 degrees from H G Wells 

Answer 18

Hi Abby, these connection posts are so fun!

I am related to six of the Apocalyptic Authors:

1) 16º Margaret Atwood: 9th cousins/1xr, MRCA Elizabeth (Unknown) Green

2) 18º Ray Bradbury: 20th cousins/1xr, MRCA Robert (Holand) de Holland

3) 18º George Noel: 13th cousins/4xr, MRCA Elizabeth (Butler) Dutton

4) 19º Walter Miller: 9th cousins/2xr, MRCA Thomas Buckingham

5) 22º Upton Sinclair: 19th cousins/1xr, MRCA Joane (Holand) Radcliffe

6) 23º Eric Blair: 17th cousins/3xr, MRCA Joane (Holand) Radcliffe

Other non-related Apocalyptic Authors:

22º Charles McCarthy; 24º Richard Matheson; 26º H. G. Wells; 27º Nevil Shute; 45º Octavia Butler

P.S. And I have an autographed copy of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451!

"And on either side of the river was there a tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

Yes, thought Montag, that's the one I'll save for noon. For noon...When we reach the city." 

Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Answer 19

16 degrees from Charles McCarthy, 

20 degrees from Margaret Atwood, 11C 2R

 21 degrees from Ray Bradbury, 13C 

 41 degrees from Octavia Butler,

 18 degrees from George Noel, 8C 4R

17 degrees from Richard Matheson,

 18 degrees from Walter Miller, 12C

22 degrees from Eric Blair, 12C 2R

24 degrees from Nevil Shute Norway, 

16 degrees from Upton Sinclair, 6C 4R

25 degrees from H G Wells

Glad to learn I’m related to Ray Bradbury no matter how distant. He’s a local legend where I’m from. Grew up just down the road from his hometown.

Answer 20

16 degrees from Margaret Atwood, Atwood-12316, 7th cousin once removed MRCA Mercy (Gardner) Oakley (1676), Gardner-2491, Miles Oakley Jr., (1671 - 1743), Oakley-356

17 degrees from George Byron, Byron-127, 12th cousin four times removed MRCA Margery (Venables) de Bulkeley (abt. 1369 - 1459), Venables-1, Ranulph Mainwaring (abt. 1363 - 1457),  Mainwaring-11

18 degrees from Kathy (Urbach) Nava, Urbach-13, 11th cousin twice removed MRCA Olive (Irby) Bulkeley (abt. 1547 - bef. 1615), Irby-1, Edward Bulkeley, Bulkeley-12

19 degrees from Walter Miller, Miller-68844, 10th cousin MRCA Dorothy (Selden) Hosmer (1582 - 1640), Selden-10, Stephen Hosmer (1570 - 1632), Hosmer-20

19 degrees from Ray Bradbury, Bradbury-988, 9th cousin MRCA Anne (Unknown) Eaton (abt. 1600 - 1660), Unknown-310606, John Eaton Sr. (bef. 1590 - 1668),  Eaton-271

20 degrees from Upton Sinclair, Sinclair-1772, 16th cousin MRCA Roger Wentworth (abt. 1395 -1452), Wentworth-8, Margaret (Despenser) Wentworth (abt. 1398 - 1478), Despenser-26

20 degrees from Cormac McCarthy

21 degrees from H. G. Wells

22 degrees from Eric Blair,  George Orwell, Blair-1927, 15th cousin once removed MRCA Margery (Venables) de Bulkeley (abt.1369 - 1459), Venables-1, Ranulph Mainwaring (abt. 1363 - 1457), Mainwaring-11

23 degrees from Richard Matheson

25 degrees from Nevil Shute Norway FRAcS

44 degrees from Octavia Butler