Ancestry.com, the genealogy company, has revealed a surprising familial connection between Taylor Swift and the renowned American poet Emily Dickinson. The exclusive report shared with NBC’s Today unveils that, according to Ancestry.com’s research, Swift and Dickinson are purportedly sixth cousins, three times removed.
The connection is traced back to a 17th-century English immigrant, specifically Swift’s 9th great-grandfather and Dickinson’s 6th great-grandfather, who played a significant role as an early settler in Windsor, Connecticut, as per the genealogy company’s findings.
Ancestry.com detailed the historical lineage, stating, “Taylor Swift’s ancestors remained in Connecticut for six generations until her part of the family eventually settled in northwestern Pennsylvania, where they married into the Swift family line.”
Born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, Emily Dickinson emerged from a prominent family deeply rooted in its community, becoming a pivotal figure in American poetry. Known for her reclusive lifestyle and the anonymous publication of her works during her lifetime, Dickinson’s influence endures.
Swift’s acknowledgment of Dickinson surfaced in 2022 during her acceptance of the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International. In her speech, Swift drew a creative parallel, stating, “If my lyrics sound like a letter written by Emily Dickinson’s great-grandmother while sewing a lace curtain, that’s me writing in the Quill genre.”
