Mitt Romney

Romney in 2011, photo by Gage Skidmore

Birth Name: Willard Mitt Romney

Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: March 12, 1947

Ethnicity: English, Scottish, one eighth German, as well as 1/64th French

Mitt Romney is an American politician and businessperson. A Republican, he has been a U.S. Senator from Utah, since January 3, 2019. He previously served as Governor of Massachusetts, from January 2, 2003 to January 4, 2007.

He was the Republican Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 2012. He was also a candidate for the Republican Party’s 2008 presidential nomination.

Mitt is a member of the LDS (Mormon) faith. His ancestry includes English, Scottish, one eighth German, and at least 1/64th French.

Mitt is married to author and equestrian Ann Romney, with whom he has five children.

Mitt’s father, George W. Romney (George Wilcken Romney), was Chairman and President of the American Motors Corporation, from 1954 to 1962, and served as Governor of Michigan, from 1963 to 1969. George was born in 1907, in Colonia Dublán, Galeana, Chihuahua, México, to American parents, who were both from Utah. His father’s family left the U.S. in the late 1800s due to anti-polygamy laws. Mitt’s father, who is generally agreed to have been a natural-born U.S. citizen (because of his own American-born parents), moved to the United States in 1912, at first living in several states around the west coast.

Mitt’s mother, Lenore Romney (born Lenore LaFount), was born in Logan, Cache, Utah, and also ran for office.

Mitt is a third half-cousin, once removed, of politician Jon Huntsman, Jr., and a third half-cousin, twice removed, of Jon’s daughter, television personality Abby Huntsman. Mitt’s paternal great-great-grandfather, early LDS leader Parley Parker Pratt, was also Jon’s paternal great-great-great-grandfather. Mitt’s niece, political strategist Ronna McDaniel, was Chair of the Republican National Committee, from January 19, 2017 to March 8, 2024.

Mitt is the first person of the LDS faith to have received a major American political party’s nomination for President of the United States. Other persons of the LDS faith who have mounted plausible or semi-plausible campaigns for a major party’s Presidential nomination are:
*George W. Romney (who sought the 1968 Republican nomination, and whose name was placed in nomination for 1964’s)
*Mo Udall (who sought the 1976 Democratic nomination)
*Orrin Hatch (who sought the 2000 Republican nomination)
*Jon Huntsman, Jr. (who sought the 2012 Republican nomination)

Mitt’s paternal grandfather was Gaskell Samuel Romney (the son of Miles Park Romney and Hannah Hood Hill). Gaskell was born in St. George, Washington, Utah. Miles helped found the LDS colony in Colonia Dublán; he was born in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, to English parents, Miles Romney, an early English convert to the LDS faith, and Elizabeth Gaskell, both of them from Dalton-in-Furness, co. Lancaster. Mitt’s great-grandmother Hannah was born in Tosorontio Township, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, to a Scottish father, Archibald Newell Hill, from Johnston, Renfrewshire, and a Canadian mother, Isabella Hood, from Toronto, whose own parents were Scottish, her father from Skipness and her mother from Glasgow.

Mitt’s paternal grandmother was Anna Amelia Pratt (the daughter of Helaman Pratt and Anna Johanna Dorothy/Dorothea “Dora” Wilcken). Mitt’s grandmother Anna was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Helaman was born in Mount Pisgah, near Thayer, Union, Iowa, and presided over the LDS mission in Mexico City. Helaman was the son of Parley Parker Pratt, who was born in Burlington, Otsego, New York, of Colonial American ancestry, and was a prominent LDS apostle; and of Mary Woods/Wood, who was from Glasgow, Scotland. Mitt’s great-grandmother Anna Wilcken was born in Dahme, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, the daughter of Carl/Charles Heinrich/Henry Wilcken, a prominent artilleryman, and of Eliza Christina Carolina Reiche.

Mitt’s maternal grandfather was Harold Arundel LaFount (the son of Robert Arthur LaFount and Emily Ethel Hewitt). Harold was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, and immigrated to the U.S. He was a businessperson, who served on the Federal Radio Commission from 1927 to 1934. Robert was the son of Joseph Charles LaFount and Elizabeth/Eliza Brett. Emily was the daughter of Thomas Samuel Hewitt and Elizabeth Booth.

Mitt’s maternal grandmother was Alma Luella Robison (the daughter of Charles Edward Robison and Rosetta Mary Berry). Alma was born in Montpelier, Bear Lake, Idaho. Charles was born in Illinois, the son of Lewis Robison and Clarissa Minerva Duzette/Duzett. Rosetta was born in Michigan, the daughter of Robert Berry, Jr. and Elnora Lucretia Warner.

Mitt is a third half-cousin, once removed, of musician Win Butler, through their mutual descent from Parley P. Pratt.

Through Mitt’s mother, Mitt is a descendant of Rebecca Towne Nurse (1621-1692), one of the women falsely accused of witchcraft and hung for this, at Salem, Massachusetts. Mitt is a ninth cousin of actor Zach Braff. Both Zach and Mitt are the eight times great-grandchildren of Rebecca Towne, and of her husband, Francis Nurse.

Sources: Genealogies of Mitt Romney – http://www.wargs.com
https://www.geni.com
http://famouskin.com
https://www.wikitree.com

Genealogy of Mitt’s parents – http://www.findagrave.com

Article about Mitt’s father’s family’s residence in Mexico – http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Article about some of Mitt’s English ancestry – http://www.bbc.com