The Calvert Family

The Calverts were from a Yorkshire farming background, but the 1st Baron rose to become Secretary of State to James I. He married well: his first wife Anne Mynne (1579-1622) was descended from King Edward III. George himself is descended from King Henry III and Edward I, both Plantagenets, and eventually both George and Anne can trace their lines back to William the Conqueror. Most American Calverts are descended from either Leonard Calvert (1610-47), George’s 2nd son and the first Governor of Maryland, or from Benedict Swingate Calvert (1724-88) the natural son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore.

There are claims on the internet that Leonard Calvert (1550-1611) and his wife Alice Crossland (1552-1587) had as many as 11 children, but the only 3 for whom there is any contemporary documentary evidence are George himself (born 1579) who became 1st Lord Baltimore, Christopher (1580) who was sent to the same Protestant school, and Dorothy (about 1582). We would be pleased to hear of any proof of the parentage of Helen, Leonard, Thomas, Anne, Isabel, Samuel, Mary or John.

Caution: There are few primary sources of births, marriages and deaths in Maryland for at least the first century of its existence, though court records and wills can sometimes help. Much of the data in these family tree charts is simply that claimed by present-day descendants, and has not been independently checked.

The early Calverts from 1456
The 6 Barons Baltimore and their royal ancestry
Royal ancestors of George Calvert

Descendants of Governor Leonard Calvert
Since George V Calvert (1712-1782), highlighted in page 2 of the Governor Leonard chart, was the man offered the Baltimore title on the death of 6th Baron Frederick in 1771, it follows that all George’s male ancestors back to the 1st Baron George must have been recognised as legitimate at the time. Once George failed to claim the title, being a member of the Virginia Patriots, it could not be offered elsewhere and it lapsed forthwith.

Descendants of Benedict Swingate Calvert

Descendants of Augustus Bressan Calvert
5th Baron Charles also had 2 sons by a French lady (Cecil Bressan) who lived in London. He gave them the Calvert surname, sent them both to Eton, and made provision for both boys in his will. The younger son, Rev Augustus Bressan Calvert (1742-1812), still has living descendants in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.