Every U.S. President Has Had at Least One Sibling

Here's a presidential pattern that's held true from George Washington to Joe Biden: every single U.S. president has had at least one sibling. Whether full siblings, half-siblings, or step-siblings, no president has been an only child. Out of 46 presidents across more than two centuries, that's a remarkable consistency.

Some came from large families. James Buchanan had ten siblings, while William Henry Harrison grew up with six brothers and sisters. On the opposite end, three presidents came close to the only-child experience: Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan each had just one sibling.

Technically Not Alone, Practically Solo

But here's where it gets interesting—having a sibling on paper doesn't always mean growing up with one. FDR's only sibling was his half-brother James, who was 28 years older. That's not exactly fighting over the remote control or sharing a bedroom. FDR was essentially raised as an only child despite technically having a brother.

Gerald Ford had a unique situation too. He was the only child his biological parents produced together, but after his mother remarried, he grew up with three younger half-brothers. As a teenager, he discovered he also had three younger half-sisters from his biological father's side—a family tree that required a flowchart.

Birth Order in the Oval Office

When it comes to where presidents fall in the sibling lineup, firstborns dominate. Fifteen presidents, including Joe Biden, were the oldest children in their families. Maybe there's something to that stereotype about firstborns being natural leaders and overachievers.

Only seven presidents were the youngest in their families, including Andrew Jackson and Ronald Reagan. The rest fell somewhere in the middle—though being a middle child clearly didn't hurt their political ambitions.

Why No Only Children?

The absence of only-child presidents probably says more about American history than psychology. For most of U.S. history, large families were the norm. Before modern medicine and birth control, families typically had multiple children, both by choice and necessity. The concept of intentionally having just one child is largely a modern phenomenon.

Even among wealthy families who could afford to educate and support many children—the class from which most early presidents came—having several children was standard. It wasn't until the 20th century that family sizes began shrinking significantly, and by then, the historical pattern was well established.

So while future presidents might break this streak as only children become more common in American families, for now, having siblings remains a universal experience shared by everyone who's held the nation's highest office.