Overview
The ancestry of Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost), the first American pontiff, reveals a diverse and complex family tree spanning 500 years, including European nobility, enslaved people, enslavers (both white and Black), and freedom fighters from Spain, France, Italy, Cuba, and the United States.
Initial Findings and Research Approach
- Pope Leo XIV was revealed to have recent African American ancestors on his mother's side in New Orleans.
- Over 100 direct ancestors across 15 generations were identified through research collaborations.
- The family tree is considered among the most diverse ever documented by the research team.
Maternal Line: Spanish, Cuban, and Latin American Roots
- Maternal ancestors traced to 16th-century Spain; four 11th-great-grandfathers were minor nobility ("hidalgos").
- Notable forebear Diego de Arana Valladar served as a captain in the Royal Armada.
- Through Diego's sister, the pope is distantly related to Antonio José de Sucre, a hero of Latin American independence.
- Family settled in Cuba from Spain during the 17th century, later moving to Havana.
Paternal Line: Sicilian and French Origins
- At least five generations of paternal ancestors were born in Sicily; grandfather immigrated to the US in 1905.
- Salvatore Giovanni Gaetano Riggitano Alito, intended priest, had two children out of wedlock with French immigrant Suzanne Louise Marie Fontaine.
- Their sons, including the pope's father, were given their grandmother's French surname "Prevost."
French and Canadian Connections
- Significant ancestry (40 identified ancestors) from France; French Canadian lines trace through Quebec.
- Through Louis Boucher de Grandpre, the pope is distantly related to prominent North American figures, including the Trudeaus, Hillary Clinton, and Madonna.
- Many French Canadian ancestors settled in New Orleans, a city known for its diverse population.
Intersection with Slavery
- Both white and Black ancestors owned enslaved people; at least four white and eight Black forebears were slaveholders.
- Notable enslavers include François Lemelle, Joseph Aristide Baqui, Eugène Grambois, and Charles Louis Boucher de Grandpre.
- Marie Louise (fifth-great-grandmother) was freed from slavery and owned land and enslaved people; her descendants continued to own slaves.
Racial Complexity and Social Status
- At least 17 ancestors described in records as "mulatto," "quadroon," or "free person of color."
- Class and racial distinctions within the African American community highlighted through family history.
- Mixed-race slaveholders were common among free people of color, sometimes for familial protection.
Legal and Social Definitions of Race
- Historical and legal definitions of "Black" in the US varied, often relying on arbitrary "one-drop" or fractional rules.
- Modern identification of multiracial Americans remains complex and influenced by these legacies.
Broader Significance
- The pope's ancestry reflects the full spectrum of the American story: European migration, African enslavement, forced and voluntary movements, and cross-cultural unions.
- The cosmopolitan and ecumenical family history may have contributed to Pope Leo XIV’s worldview.
Research Credits
- Extensive genealogical research conducted by American Ancestors, the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami, Afro-Latin American Research Institute scholars, and others.