The Potter Family Tree From ‘Harry Potter’ Explained

The Big Picture

• The Potter family has a rich magical history that dates back to Linfred of Stinchcombe, who had a knack for healing illnesses with his magical potions.
• Harry’s ancestry includes the Peverell brothers, who were the creators of the Deathly Hallows, and the Gaunts, who are Voldemort’s family.
• Harry’s parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all had significant roles and contributions to the Wizarding World, and Harry inherited their bravery and moral compass.

Like all things from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, the Potter family is rich with history. Although the focal point of the Harry Potter series is Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) himself, it turns out that Harry’s ancestry is just as extensive and magical as that of the Malfoys, the Weasleys, and the Black family. Harry may be the most famous member of the Potter family due to his heroic defeat of the darkest wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), but Harry’s predecessors deserve some credit too because the magic in the Potter family ran deep well before Harry was born. Harry’s parents were expertly skilled wizards, his grandfather made a fortune through his potion-making skills, and three of Harry’s ancestors were the creators of the Deathly Hallows. Harry did not know of his magical abilities until he was eleven years old, but the humility, bravery, and magical prowess of his lineage definitely ran through his blood.

Linfred of Stinchcombe

The Potter family dates back to a man by the name of Linfred, who lived in the village of Stinchcombe in Gloucestershire. Stinchcombe was a Muggle village and Linfred had Muggle neighbors, but the Muggles remained ignorant of his magical powers. Linfred’s Muggle friends described him as an eccentric and air-headed man who had a knack for healing people’s illnesses through the ingredients he grew in his garden. Of course, the Muggles were not aware of the fact that Linfred’s homemade remedies were made in his magical cauldron. The Muggles sought Linfred out for cures of their various ailments, and due to Linfred’s aptitude for potion-making, his remedies afforded him a popular reputation among the Muggles. The Muggles eventually nicknamed Linfred ‘Potterer’ because he was always seen pottering about in his garden. Over time, the nickname ‘Potterer’ morphed into ‘Potter’ which is where the famous name began.

The Potter family were purebloods until Harry Potter’s birth in 1980, as Harry’s mother, Lily Evans (Geraldine Somerville), had Muggle parents. In the Wizarding World during the twentieth century, there were twenty-eight pureblood families. These families were known as the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Even though the Potter’s were pureblood, they were never included in the Sacred Twenty-Eight because the name Potter was a common Muggle name.

Ignotus Peverell

You may recognize the name Ignotus Peverell from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. When Harry and Hermione (Emma Watson) visit the graveyard at Godric’s Hollow, Ignotus Peverell’s grave is there and the symbol of the Deathly Hallows is engraved on his tombstone. Peverell is the surname of a pureblood medieval wizard family, and Ignotus was the youngest of three brothers. His older brothers were called Antioch and Cadmus Peverell, and the three of them were the creators of the Deathly Hallows. Antioch created the Elder Wand, Cadmus created the Resurrection Stone, and Ignotus created the Invisibility Cloak. This very same Invisibility Cloak would come into Harry’s possession centuries later. Ignotus first passed on his Invisibility Cloak to his son, who then passed it on to his daughter, Iolanthe Peverell. Iolanthe married a wizard named Hardwin Potter, who, incidentally, was the eldest son of Linfred of Stinchcombe. Iolanthe and Hardwin passed on the Invisibility Cloak to their eldest child, and this tradition continued through the generations of Potters until the Cloak eventually came into Harry’s possession in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Various famous wizard families descended from the Peverell brothers. The Potters, of course, descended from Ignotus. The Gaunt family descended from Cadmus Peverell. Who are the Gaunts? Well, Merope Gaunt is Voldemort’s mother. It is not uncommon for wizard families to be interrelated, as the wizard population is much smaller than the Muggle population. But it is quite intriguing to learn that Harry and Voldemort were descendants of two brothers. Two brothers who were extremely skilled at magic. Funnily enough, Cadmus’s creation of the Resurrection Stone was used to resurrect loved ones from the dead. Cadmus wanted to cheat death and challenge the natural ways of life. This sounds a lot like Voldemort’s magical pursuits. Voldemort wanted to live forever, and he went to frightening lengths to achieve immortality.

Ignotus, on the other hand, was the humblest of the three brothers. He evaded death through the use of his Invisibility Cloak, but he did not fear death the way his older brothers did. When Ignotus felt that he was ready to die, he welcomed death with peace and purpose. Although it would be centuries following Ignotus’s death before Harry was born, it is clear that Harry inherited some of Ignotus’s humility. Harry never feared death, he knew nothing of greed, and he cared more for his loved ones than his own safety. When Harry had possession of the Elder Wand, he did not use it, but rather laid it to rest in the grave of its previous owner. When Harry got hold of the Resurrection Stone, he glimpsed his deceased loved ones for a short time, then he left the Stone in the forest and never searched for it again. As for the Invisibility Cloak, Harry eventually passed it on to his eldest son. The Deathly Hallows were created so that witches or wizards could be masters of death, but Harry was not afraid of death and he never sought power.

Henry Potter

Henry Potter was Harry’s great-grandfather. Henry served on the Wizengamot from 1913 to 1921. During these years, the First World War occurred. The then Minister for Magic – Archer Evermonde – decided to forbid the Wizarding World from aiding Muggles in the war. Henry Potter publicly criticized and reprimanded the Minister for doing this, as Henry valued the safety of Muggles. Henry’s outspokenness about supporting Muggles contributed to the reason why the Potter family was excluded from the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Although the Potters had been pureblood for centuries, they were never prejudiced and did not endorse pureblood mania the same way that the Malfoy and the Black families did.

Fleamont and Euphemia Potter

Fleamont was the son of Henry Potter. Fleamont was sorted into Gryffindor at Hogwarts and after his graduation, he invented Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion – a potion that styles, tames, and cares for hair. This invention awarded Fleamont a large fortune. Fleamont may have inherited his expert potion-making skills from his ancestor, Linfred of Stinchcombe. When Fleamont retired, he sold his company that made Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion and his grandson Harry would eventually inherit this gold. This is the gold we see in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone inside Harry’s vault at Gringotts.

Fleamont married a witch named Euphemia. Although they were happy, they struggled to conceive for many years. Right as they were about to give up on the prospect of having children, Euphemia fell pregnant, but by this time, Euphemia and Fleamont were old. Euphemia was elderly even by Muggle standards when she gave birth to their first and only son, James Potter (Adrian Rawlins). Because Fleamont and Euphemia had James during their retirement, they spoiled him and doted on him, which is why James grew up to be a very vain and arrogant boy. Fleamont and Euphemia lived to see their son marry Lily Evans, but they sadly died of Dragon Pox before meeting their grandson Harry.

James Potter

James Potter was sorted into Gryffindor at Hogwarts just like his father was. James certainly exhibited the more negative characteristics of Gryffindors – he was arrogant, loud, and haughty, often strutting about Hogwarts with his best friend Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who would eventually go on to become Harry’s godfather. James and Sirius were very popular at Hogwarts, and because James was smart and great at Quidditch, he believed himself to be somewhat superior to others. Nevertheless, James grew out of his childishness after he graduated and married Lily Evans, whom he’d been in love with throughout their entire time at Hogwarts. Even though James was conceited, he was exceedingly loyal to his friends and he strongly opposed Voldemort and everything that the Dark Lord stood for.

Lily Potter

Lily Potter was an exceedingly brave, smart, and kind witch. She saw the good in everyone, even when they were hurt or broken inside. Lily often stuck up for those who were ostracized, she never cared for popularity, and she spoke out against bullying. Lily definitely passed on these altruistic qualities to her son Harry. It is curious why Lily eventually fell for James, who did not share her considerate qualities, but perhaps because she saw the good in everyone, she was able to identify the inner goodness in James. When Voldemort chose to attack Lily, James, and their son Harry, Lily sacrificed herself for Harry’s life. Such a sacrifice was motivated by her love, and it cast a protective spell over Harry, which would go on to protect him for many years to come.

Harry Potter

The most famous of the Potters – Harry Potter – was born to Lily and James Potter on July 31st, 1980. Like his mother, father, and grandfather, Harry was sorted into Gryffindor at Hogwarts. Harry is arguably one of the bravest wizards of all time, but his bravery and sound moral compass seem to be inherited from his parents. He never thought twice when it came to defending his friends, and just like his mother, he always spoke out against injustice. Even if Harry wasn’t the Chosen One, he would have fought Voldemort anyway because, in his mind, fighting against evil is the right thing to do.

James Sirius Potter II, Albus Severus Potter, & Lily Luna Potter

Harry Potter married Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) and they had three children, whom we meet in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Their eldest son, James Sirius Potter II (Will Dunn), inherited Harry’s Invisibility Cloak and his Marauders Map. In conjunction with the two wizards he was named after, James Potter II exhibited similar characteristics to James Potter and Sirius Black. James Potter II was sorted into Gryffindor and was a mischievous troublemaker just like his namesake relatives.

Albus Severus Potter (Arthur Bowen) however, was nothing like his older brother. Albus was named after Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). When Albus arrived at Hogwarts, he was surprisingly sorted into Slytherin and became best friends with Draco Malfoy’s (Tom Felton) son, Scorpius. This friendship is explored in the sequel play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This relationship, of course, roused controversy as Draco was infamously known as the enemy of Harry Potter, and yet, their two sons formed a very close friendship. Unlike the majority of Slytherins who are cunning and confident, Albus was shy, slightly nervous, and quietly insecure. Many of Albus’s insecurities arose from his fears of not living up to his father’s name. It was actually Albus’s best friend, Scorpius, who helped him to come out of his shell.

Lily Luna Potter (Daphne de Beistegui), named after Harry’s mum and his close friend Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), inherited a lot of her mother’s traits, including Ginny’s red hair and self-assured personality. She was the youngest of Harry and Ginny’s children and was sorted into Gryffindor when she arrived at Hogwarts.

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