The Weasley family tree is a sprawling, red-haired wizarding family central to the Harry Potter series, headed by Arthur and Molly Weasley and including seven children: Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. The family also extends to in-laws, grandchildren, and notable connections to the wider wizarding world, such as Hermione Granger and Harry Potter.
Origins and Background
The Weasleys are one of the oldest pure-blood families in the wizarding world, though they are famously considered “blood traitors” by pure-blood supremacists because of their friendly relations with Muggle-borns and Muggles. Their ancestry is traced through the Black Family Tree tapestry (seen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), which shows that the Weasleys are related to the Black family—the family of Sirius Black and Bellatrix Lestrange—through a marriage between a Weasley and a Black in the 19th century. This connection makes the Weasleys distant cousins of the Malfoys, the Lestranges, and other pure-blood families.
The family’s name and red hair are iconic, but their financial status is notably modest, with Arthur working at the Ministry of Magic and Molly as a homemaker. Their home, the Burrow, is a ramshackle, multi-story house in Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon, which becomes a second home to Harry Potter.
The Core Family: Arthur and Molly
Arthur Weasley, born in 1950, works at the Ministry of Magic, first in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, later rising to head the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. He is fascinated by Muggle technology and culture. Molly Weasley, née Prewett, is a formidable matriarch, known for her cooking, her fierce protection of her family, and her famous duel with Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts. Molly’s brothers, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, were members of the original Order of the Phoenix and were killed by Death Eaters before the series begins.
The Seven Weasley Children
The seven Weasley siblings, in order of birth, are:
- William “Bill” (b. 1970) – Head Boy at Hogwarts, later a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts in Egypt. He marries Fleur Delacour, and they have three children: Victoire, Dominique, and Louis.
- Charles “Charlie” (b. 1972) – A dragonologist who works with dragons in Romania. He remains unmarried and has no children mentioned.
- Percy (b. 1976) – Ambitious and rule-bound, he becomes a Ministry bureaucrat. He marries Audrey, and they have two daughters: Molly and Lucy.
- Fred (b. 1978) – A prankster and co-owner of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. He dies in the Battle of Hogwarts, leaving no children.
- George (b. 1978) – Fred’s twin, who loses an ear in the Battle of the Seven Potters. He later marries Angelina Johnson and has two children: Fred (named after his twin) and Roxanne.
- Ronald “Ron” (b. 1980) – Harry Potter’s best friend, who marries Hermione Granger. They have two children: Rose and Hugo.
- Ginevra “Ginny” (b. 1981) – The only daughter, who becomes a professional Quidditch player and later a journalist. She marries Harry Potter, and they have three children: James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna.
In-Laws and Descendants
The Weasley family tree expands significantly with marriages. Fleur Delacour, a part-Veela from Beauxbatons, joins the family through Bill. Hermione Granger, a Muggle-born witch, marries Ron, further cementing the family’s acceptance of Muggle heritage. Angelina Johnson, a former Gryffindor Quidditch teammate, marries George. Percy’s wife Audrey is a minor character, and her background is not detailed.
The next generation includes Victoire Weasley (who is noted to have inherited her grandmother’s Veela looks), James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, Lily Luna Potter, Rose Granger-Weasley, Hugo Granger-Weasley, Fred Weasley II, Roxanne Weasley, Molly Weasley II, and Lucy Weasley. These children are mostly seen in the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (though the play is not considered canon by all fans).
Notable Family Connections
The Weasleys are connected to several other prominent wizarding families through marriage and blood. The Black family connection is the most significant, as it links them to Sirius Black, who becomes Harry’s godfather, and to the Malfoy family through Narcissa Black’s marriage to Lucius Malfoy. This makes the Weasleys and Malfoys distant relatives, a fact that adds tension to their conflicts. Additionally, the Prewett family connection (Molly’s maiden name) ties them to the original Order of the Phoenix.
Common Misconceptions
One common misconception is that the Weasleys are a “pure-blood” family in the strictest sense, but they are not. They are pure-blood by heritage, but they reject blood purity ideology. Another misconception is that the family tree is small; in fact, the Black family tapestry shows many branches, but the main Weasley line is limited to Arthur and Molly’s children. Also, some fans wonder if the Weasleys are related to the Potters; there is no known connection until Harry marries Ginny, making the families allied by marriage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the oldest Weasley child?
Bill Weasley is the oldest, born in 1970. He is followed by Charlie (1972), Percy (1976), the twins Fred and George (1978), Ron (1980), and Ginny (1981).
Are the Weasleys related to the Malfoys?
Yes, distantly. Through the Black family tree, the Weasleys and Malfoys are related by blood. Sirius Black’s cousin, Narcissa Black, married Lucius Malfoy, and a Weasley ancestor married a Black in the 19th century.
How many grandchildren do Arthur and Molly have?
Arthur and Molly have eleven grandchildren: Victoire, Dominique, Louis (Bill’s children), Molly and Lucy (Percy’s children), Fred and Roxanne (George’s children), Rose and Hugo (Ron’s children), and James, Albus, and Lily (Harry and Ginny’s children). That totals eleven, though some fan sources count differently if they exclude the Cursed Child timeline.
What happened to Fred Weasley?
Fred Weasley was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998. His death is one of the most tragic moments in the series. He is survived by his twin George, who later names his first son Fred in his memory.
Is the Weasley family tree shown in the Harry Potter films?
The Black family tree tapestry appears in the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but the full Weasley family tree is not shown as a physical object. The details come from the books and J.K. Rowling’s supplementary writings.
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