Presidents of the United States with Welsh Family Connections

This expanded article explores the many U.S. presidents — and one presidential candidate — who had ancestral ties to Wales. It begins and ends with two remarkable women whose Welsh heritage frames the story.

George Washington (1732–1799)

George Washington

George Washington, the first president of the United States, served from April 1789 to March 1797. Although he did not belong to a political party, he supported several Federalist policies, including the creation of a national bank and a standing army. By the time he became president, Washington had only one tooth remaining. His teeth began falling out in his early twenties, and the last was removed in 1796. His dentures were made from materials such as ivory and elk teeth.

Martha Dandridge

Washington’s leadership set the tone for the new republic. He established the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power, declined a third term to avoid monarchical precedent, and oversaw the creation of the first Cabinet. His presidency also saw the establishment of the U.S. Mint, the federal judiciary, and the Bill of Rights.

Although Washington himself had no Welsh ancestry, his wife Martha Dandridge did. Martha — whom he married in 1759 — was the daughter of English immigrant John Dandridge and Frances Jones, granddaughter of Reverend Orlando Jones, a Welsh clergyman. Through Martha, the Washington household was connected to a long line of Welsh‑American families who helped shape early Virginia society.

John Adams (1735–1826)

John Adams

John Adams, a leading Founding Father, became the second president in 1796. A committed Federalist, he won by a narrow margin — 71 votes to Jefferson’s 68 — and was the first president to live in what is now the White House. Although Adams once insisted he had “not one drop of blood… but what is American,” his ancestors came from Drefach and Felindre, Carmarthenshire.

Adams was a brilliant political thinker and a fierce advocate for independence. Before becoming president, he served as a diplomat in Europe, negotiated the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolution, and helped draft the Massachusetts Constitution — a document that influenced the U.S. Constitution.

His presidency was marked by challenges, including tensions with France and the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts. Despite these difficulties, Adams avoided war and strengthened the U.S. Navy. He served only one term, but his legacy endured through his son, John Quincy Adams, who also became president.

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, served as the first Secretary of State, then as vice president, and finally as the first Democratic‑Republican president to win two terms. Jefferson could speak, read, and write Welsh. At age 77 he wrote: “The tradition in my father’s family is that their ancestors came… from Wales, from the region of Snowdon.”

Jefferson’s presidency included the Louisiana Purchase (1803), which doubled the size of the United States, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which mapped the American West. He also championed religious freedom and founded the University of Virginia, one of his proudest achievements.

Jefferson and his political rival — later friend — John Adams both died on 4 July 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence. Their shared Welsh ancestry and intertwined political careers remain one of the most remarkable stories in early American history.

James Madison (1751–1836)

James Madison

James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution,” served two terms from 1809 to 1817. He played a central role in drafting both the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, shaping the framework of American government. Madison led the nation through the War of 1812, which ended with the Treaty of Ghent (1814) and a return to status quo ante bellum.

Madison’s presidency was defined by conflict with Britain, the burning of Washington, and the rise of American nationalism. Despite the hardships of war, the United States emerged with a stronger sense of identity and a more capable military.

His Welsh ancestry came through his maternal great‑great‑grandfather Daniel Gaines, born in Breconshire in 1614. Madison retired to his estate, Montpelier, where he continued to advise younger statesmen and helped establish the University of Virginia alongside Jefferson.

James Monroe (1758–1831)

James Monroe

James Monroe, a Democratic‑Republican and the last of the Founding Fathers to become president, served two terms from 1817 to 1825. He is the only president in U.S. history to have held two cabinet posts simultaneously, serving as both Secretary of State and Secretary of War under James Madison. Monroe sought to strengthen relations with Britain after the War of 1812, resulting in the Rush–Bagot Treaty (1817) and the Treaty of 1818, which established the 49th parallel as the U.S.–Canada border.

Monroe’s presidency is often called the “Era of Good Feelings”, marked by national unity and economic growth. He is also remembered for the Monroe Doctrine (1823), which warned European powers against further colonisation in the Americas — a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy for generations.

His Welsh ancestry came through his mother, Elizabeth Jones, whose father emigrated from Wales to Virginia. After leaving office, Monroe lived at Monroe Hill — now part of the University of Virginia — and served on the university’s Board of Visitors until his death on 4 July 1831, the third president to die on Independence Day.

John Quincy Adams (1767–1848)

John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams, son of the second president, served one term and later became a leading figure in the National Republican Party. He is widely regarded as one of America’s greatest diplomats, having negotiated treaties, expanded U.S. borders, and served as ambassador to multiple nations.

After his presidency, Adams served in the House of Representatives for 17 years — the only former president to do so. He became a fierce opponent of slavery and a champion of civil liberties, arguing landmark cases before the Supreme Court, including the Amistad case.

Adams died in 1848, collapsing on the floor of the House while still serving his country.

William Henry Harrison (1773–1841)

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison delivered the longest inaugural address in U.S. history — in cold, wet weather — and died 31 days later, giving him the shortest presidency. His Welsh ancestry traces to Henry Harris of Llanfyllin, Montgomeryshire. The family later moved to Wrexham and Nantwich, where the surname changed from Harris to Harrison.

Before becoming president, Harrison was a soldier, territorial governor, and hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe (1811). His military reputation helped propel him into politics, where he became the first president from the Whig Party.

His descendant Benjamin Harrison would later become the 23rd president, making the Harris/Harrison family one of America’s most influential Welsh‑American dynasties.

Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s most revered presidents, led the Union through the Civil War, abolished slavery, and strengthened the federal government. He was assassinated in 1865. Lincoln’s Welsh roots were extensive. His great‑great‑grandfather John Morris was a farmer from Ysbyty Ifan, North Wales. Morris’s daughter Ellen emigrated to America and married Cadwalader Evans, born in 1664 in Ucheldre near Bala.

Lincoln’s early life was marked by hardship, self‑education, and a rise from frontier poverty to national leadership. His speeches — including the Gettysburg Address — remain some of the most influential in American history.

During the 1860 election, Lincoln printed 100,000 Welsh‑language campaign pamphlets, recognising the political importance of Welsh‑American communities. His legacy continues to shape American identity and civil rights.

James A. Garfield (1831–1881)

James. A. Garfield

James Garfield is the only sitting senator ever elected president. He served just six and a half months before dying from infection after an assassination attempt. His Welsh ancestry traced back to a great‑great‑grandfather whose forebears served as knights at Caerphilly Castle.

Garfield rose from poverty, working as a canal boatman before becoming a scholar, Civil War general, and respected congressman. His presidency, though brief, focused on civil service reform and national unity.

His tragic death cut short a promising administration, but his Welsh lineage remains a proud part of his family history.

Richard Nixon (1913–1994)

Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon, elected president in 1969, was a prominent figure in mid‑20th‑century American politics and a leading member of the Republican Party. His presidency saw the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, the opening of diplomatic relations with both China and the Soviet Union, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Nixon’s Welsh ancestry stretched back to the early colonial period. His forebears included Howell Griffiths of Carmarthenshire, who emigrated to Philadelphia in 1690, and Huw Harris of Montgomeryshire, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1689. His great‑grandmother was descended from Thomas Price, who emigrated shortly after the Mayflower era.

Despite the achievements of his presidency, Nixon resigned during his second term due to the Watergate scandal. After leaving office, he wrote ten books, re‑establishing himself as a foreign policy commentator before his death in 1994.

Barack Obama (1961– )

Barrack Obama

Barack Obama, the first African‑American president, served from 2009 to 2017. His Welsh ancestry comes through his sixth great‑grandparents Henry and Margaret Price of Anglesey, who emigrated to Ohio in the early 19th century.

Obama’s presidency included the Affordable Care Act, the killing of Osama bin Laden, and major economic recovery efforts following the 2008 financial crisis. His Welsh ancestors were part of the early Welsh‑American communities that helped settle the Midwest.

Hillary Clinton (1947– )

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton, a lawyer, diplomat, author, and former First Lady, was the Democratic nominee for president in 2016. In 2017, she received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Swansea University for her work promoting the rights of families and children.

Clinton’s Welsh heritage comes from both sides of her family: her great‑grandfather John Jones, a miner from Llangynidr, and her great‑grandmother Mary Griffiths of Abergavenny. The couple emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1879, joining the long history of Welsh migration to the United States.

Her long career — from First Lady to U.S. Senator to Secretary of State — has made her one of the most influential women in modern American politics.