Largest family you have found

[..claire..]

My Great Grandparents had 14 children between 1881-1902

By the 1901 census only five were still alive, most had died as infants.

Of the 5 that remained one died during WW1, two died in their thirties and the remaining two including my Grandfather lived into their eighties

claire

[smudwhisk]

My 2xGreat Grandparents had 16 between 1858 and 1885, 13 of which lived to adulthood and they lived in London's East End.  The eldest was married before his youngest two siblings were born and their eldest child was born before his youngest siblings.  My Great Grandparents had the joint highest number of children in the next generation, totalling only 6 (I think the family had learnt their lesson by then ).

[Andrew Tarr]

I was just reminded of a certain minor composer Ignaz Pleyel, who according to one of my reference books was the 24th son of a schoolmaster, who had 38 children and died aged 99, I suppose in the early 1800s.

Beat that ....

[annaS]

My grandfather's aunt had 18 children, born between 1870 and 1889. Phew!  Anna

[Nanna52]

Eleven seems to be the number in my tree.  My grandfather, born 1877 was the eleventh and last child in his family.  When he died in 1918 there were only two still living.  A great uncle also fathered eleven children.  One died as a baby, another in WW1 at the age of twenty the rest went on to live long and healthy lives.  I feel we are letting the side down when I read others answers.

[maddys52]

I have 2 families with 15 children. My ggg grandparents had 15 in 20 years, but only 6 survived to adulthood (the last 7 only lived less than 1 year) from 1845-1865. And gg grandparents also had 15 in about 24 years (according to the 1911 census info 9 still living, 6 died) though I'm yet to find 2 of them.

Recently looking up a family for someone here I saw a newspaper article from country NSW in 1869 about a woman who had just presented her husband with his 21st child, 16 were still living.

[Annette7]

My largest find is 23 and 14 survived!   

Whilst stuck on my Grist line many years ago I followed all of that name in Suffolk and although not 'mine' I always remember this couple and their children.

Thomas Grist (b.1769, d.1832) married Ann Bent 11/6/1793 - she was 18.   The following are their family:

James bp.15/10/1793 Stonham Aspal - died 1793
Susan born 1795 - died 1795 Stowupland
Mary Ann bp.27/2/1797           ditto
Amy bp.1/1/1798                    ditto
Harriet bp.29/11/1798             ditto  - died 1799
Elizabeth bp.30/10/1799          ditto
Jemima bp.1/4/1802                ditto  - died 1803
William bp.10/6/1803               ditto   - died 1808
Sarah bp.24/6/1804                 ditto
Maria bp.13/9/1805                  ditto
Harriet bp.31/8/1806                ditto   - died 1807
Joseph bp.20/9/1807  Creeting St. Peter
William bp.4/9/1808            ditto         - died  )
James  bp.4/9/1808             ditto        - died   ) twins
Charles bp.9/8/1811             ditto
Thomas bp.22/3/1812           ditto        - died
Thomas bp.4/4/1813            ditto   )
Ann bp.4/4/1813                  ditto   ) twins
William bp.16/4/1815            ditto  )
Clarissa bp.16/4/1815            ditto ) twins
Hannah bp.25/5/1817            ditto
James bp.28/7/1818              ditto   - died
Henry bp.21/5/1820              ditto

Definitely all to the same couple as her maiden name helpfully shown.

Ann must have been some strong lady - she died in 1862 aged 87, having outlived her husband by 30 years!

Annette 
 

[ScouseBoy]

A few days ago, Britain's largest family announced the birth of their 19th child 

Personally I can't understand why on earth they continue - it must be an addiction.  I believe they are a self-supporting family, which is an achievement in itself, but they don't seem to read the papers, or consider the real world.

    I think "addiction"    is the wrong word.

I think it is an innate human attribute   to wish to produce children.

[Andrew Tarr]

I think "addiction" is the wrong word.  I think it is an innate human attribute to wish to produce children.

Of course, or the species would not have survived.  200 years ago parents continued because (a) the clergy told them to (b) it was fun (usually), (c) they had no controllable form of contraception (d) many children died young anyway.  These days only (b) applies, and most parents realise when enough is enough.