What we discovered in the family trees of England’s World Cup 2022 squad

7-8 minute read

By Ellie Ayton | December 9, 2022

Determined characters, teamwork, and overcoming the odds. No, this isn’t the story of the England World Cup team. It’s what lies hidden in their family histories.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar gave us a great opportunity to explore the family histories of some of England’s biggest modern footballing greats. We’ve had a ball researching our genealogy records to discover incredible, human stories. Some speak of strong family ties, and others of overcoming the tragedies inflicted by the First World War.

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We’ve already delved into the family trees of stars Harry Kane and Gareth Bale, and even explored the stories of early female football heroes. Plus, you can get back to the sport's earlier roots, by learning about the first Black British professional footballers, and checking out our must-read books on the history of the beautiful game.

So, we’ll put our right foot forward and begin…

Marcus Rashford

The Manchester United star was brought up by his mother. He’s the youngest of five children born to Robert Rashford and Melanie Maynard. By following the Rashford name, we’ve traced Marcus’ paternal roots back to Jamaica in the early 19th century.

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Though Marcus’ paternal grandfather Renford Newton Rashford married and died in Manchester, there is no British birth record for him. His death record from 2005 tells us he was born in 1938. Through our research, we believe Marcus’ great-grandparents were Ronald Harvey Rashford and Ira Nelson.

It's possible Ira Nelson had two children before Renford in 1938: James Nelson was baptised in 1926 (the record gives Ira's name as Ira Jane Nelson, a labourer), and Gloria Livingston Nelson died in 1935 at only six months old.

The baptism record of Marcus Rashford’s great-grandfather.

Ronald Harvey Rashford was baptised in Jamaica in 1906, with his parents listed on his baptism record as John Harvey Rashford (1866-1924), a carpenter, and Bertha Theodosia Urquhart (1881-1928) – these are Marcus’ 2x great-grandparents. Ronald was one of at least eight children born between 1905 and 1918.

Bertha was 24 when she married the 40-year-old bachelor John Harvey Rashford. Their signatures were recorded on their marriage certificate. It's an incredible moment when you spot an ancestor's handwriting for the first time.

The marriage certificate of Marcus Rashford’s 2x great-grandparents in 1904.

And we carried on going, using our marvellous Caribbean records, heading back six generations. On Marcus’ mother’s side, there are also links to another Caribbean island, St Kitts. Marcus’ beloved grandmother, Cillian Henry, died there around 2008.

Mason Mount

Football clearly runs in the family: Mason Tony Mount was born in 1999 to parents Debbie and Tony, with the latter a former non-league footballer and local coach.

Tragically, Mason Mount’s 2x great-grandfather on his father’s side didn’t survive the First World War. Charles Edward Mount, born in 1890, perished in 1916. He was fighting for his country with the 14th Battalion Hampshire Regiment in France, and on 3 September 1916, Charles died aged just 26. He may have died at the Battle of Guillemont, part of the Battle of the Somme.

He was survived by his wife Florence, daughter Florence Norah, and their four-year-old son, Edward John Mount – Mason’s great-grandfather.

Florence must have mourned her husband a great deal, but needed to provide for her two young children. She later married Ernest Edward Gilham, a worker at Portsmouth dockyard. She became stepmother to his children Frederick, Ernest, Louisa and George.

Mason Mount’s great-grandfather on the 1921 Census.

We found the family together on the 1921 Census, which confirms that Edward and Florence’s father was dead. Ernest Gilham must also have been widowed.

Kieran Trippier

The Newcastle United and England player was born in Manchester to parents Chris Trippier and Eleanor Lomax, and is one of four brothers.

After tracing his maternal Lomax side back to the early 20th century, we discovered Kieran’s great-grandfather, Matthew Lomax (born 1914) in the 1921 Census. His father, and Kieran’s 2x great-grandfather Thomas (born 1867) was a chip shop owner. And if you take a look at the original record, there are fingerprints all over it. Perhaps evidence of his trade?

Kieran Trippier’s great-grandfather on the 1921 Census.

The Northwest roots on his mother’s side are strong – the Lomax line was still in Lancashire as far back as 1867.

Thomas is listed in 1921 as a widower. He’s 54-years-old and supporting three children under 12. Interestingly, Thomas initially wrote ‘father dead’ for all his children, before crossing that out and writing ‘mother’ instead.

Matthew Lomax married Ellen Forrest in 1932. They would go on to have at least nine children, along with Geoffrey, Kieran’s maternal grandfather. Ellen was born in St Helen’s in 1913. Her 1921 Census record tells a tale of strong family bonds.

The family of Kieran Trippier’s great-grandmother in the 1921 Census.

We can see Ellen with her widowed mother, Mary Ann Forrest (1871), her siblings, her married sister Sarah (1896, also a widow) and nephew Thomas (1917). This is a huge household, and almost everyone, bar Mary Ann and the youngest children, are working at the same place: Brooksbottom Mill in Summerseat, for Joshua Hoyle & Sons Ltd Cotton Manufacturers.

Kieran's ancestors worked for Joshua Hoyle & Sons Ltd, which at the time produced cotton items such as overalls for women, and bed sheets and pillowcases, like these, pictured in The Illustrated London News, 2 May 1925

It’s entirely possible that Sarah lost her husband during the First World War. But, the family stuck together to provide for each other.

Aaron Ramsdale

The Arsenal goalkeeper was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1998 to parents Nicholas and Caroline, who married in 1988. His roots are most firmly rooted in the Midlands, with his maternal great-grandparents Frank and Bertha Hemming living in Worcestershire.

Aaron Ramsdale’s great-grandparents on the 1921 Census.

In the 1921 Census, Frank Hemming was working as a storekeeper in the advertising department for chocolate brand, Cadbury. Frank and Bertha had four daughters by 1921.

An advertisement for Cadbury from 1921, when Aaron's ancestor was working for the company, from The Daily Mirror, 23 December 1921.

Another daughter was born in 1924, and Horace (Aaron’s maternal grandfather) came along in 1930.

Aaron Ramsdale’s grandfather and his family in the 1939 Register. View the full record here.

By 1939, the family had settled in Stafford, spotted at 23 Stockton Lane in the 1939 Register.

Conor Coady

Born in Lancashire in 1993, Conor is of Irish descent through a grandparent. We traced the Coady line back to the late 20th century and found a story of perseverance and tragedy.

Conor’s 2x great-grandmother, Ruth Wood, was born in 1888. In 1908, she married a man named John Robert Kennedy, and together they had at least three children between 1907 and 1918: John Wood Kennedy, Wilhelmina Kennedy, and Ruth Kennedy.

But their happiness was not to continue. As the First World War raged on, tragedy struck the young Kennedy family. We believe John Robert Kennedy was killed in action in Mesopotamia in 1916, while serving as a private in the Manchester Regiment.

Two years later, Ruth married James Coady, Conor’s 2x great-grandfather. Their son, Conor’s great-grandfather James Henry Coady, was born in Stalybridge, Cheshire, in 1919.

On the 1921 Census, we found James Henry with his mother and half siblings. Ruth was working as a hawker: she was informally selling items on the street to ensure her family were taken care of.

Conor’s paternal ancestors in the 1921 Census. View the full record here.

Interestingly, the 1921 Census shows James’ sister, Ellen, with the middle name Coady, the surname Kennedy, her father as dead, and a birth year of around 1918. This means that although Ellen’s surname was listed as Kennedy, it’s very likely that James Coady was her father, given that John Wood Kennedy perished in 1916.

But where was James Coady in 1921? He was in the Army, working in the Defence Force and living at a local drill hall. Indeed, he is listed as having two children, giving further weight to Ellen Coady Kennedy being his daughter.

Conor’s great-grandfather and 2x great-grandmother in the 1939 Register. Note the enumerator misspelled Coady as Goady. See the full record here.

Sadly, Ruth was to be widowed a second time. James Coady died in 1935 aged just 45. In the 1939 Register, the widowed Ruth was living in Cheshire with two of her children, Ruth and James Henry. She was still working, this time as a domestic cleaner, to support her family.

According to the 1891 Census, James Coady's father was from County Waterford in Ireland.

Ready to discover more? Head to the Discoveries section of our blog to explore more celebrity family trees to inspire your own.

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