Pride and Prejudice family tree
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Pride and Prejudice is a book about families: five sisters with no brothers, a house they can't inherit, a mother desperate to marry them off, and rich young men who arrive in the neighbourhood with sisters, aunts and cousins of their own. Here is everyone in Jane Austen's novel on one page, with Elizabeth and Darcy as the stars.
The Bennets of Longbourn
Mr Bennet is a gentleman with an estate at Longbourn, in Hertfordshire, near the market town of Meryton. He married a pretty, silly woman, and has regretted it ever since. He spends most of his time in his library, being sarcastic. Mrs Bennet, Austen tells us in the first chapter, is "a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper." The business of her life is to get her daughters married.
They have five daughters and no son:
- Jane, the eldest and most beautiful, who thinks well of everyone.
- Elizabeth, or Lizzy, quick, lively and her father's favourite. She's the heroine.
- Mary, the plain, bookish one, who plays the piano for too long at parties.
- Kitty (Catherine), who copies whatever Lydia does.
- Lydia, the youngest, only fifteen when the book starts, and the wildest.
Why the Bennet girls need husbands
Longbourn is entailed: it can only pass to a man. With no son, when Mr Bennet dies the house and land will go to his nearest male relative, a distant cousin, Mr Collins, and his wife and daughters will be left with very little. That's why Mrs Bennet is so frantic, and why a girl like Charlotte Lucas takes the first sensible offer she gets.
Mr Collins is a pompous clergyman whose patron is the grand Lady Catherine de Bourgh. He comes to Longbourn meaning to marry one of the Bennet girls to make up for the entail. He proposes to Elizabeth, who turns him down, and within three days he's engaged to her friend Charlotte Lucas instead. Charlotte is twenty-seven, plain and poor, and tells Elizabeth, "I am not romantic, you know. I never was." The Lucases are neighbours at Lucas Lodge, and have their own little tree under the Bennets.
Mrs Bennet's family, in trade
Mrs Bennet was a Miss Gardiner, the daughter of an attorney in Meryton. Her sister married Mr Phillips, who had been their father's clerk and took over his business. Her brother Edward Gardiner is a merchant in London. Darcy and the Bingley sisters look down on these relations, but the Gardiners turn out to be the most sensible people in the book. It's on a holiday with them in Derbyshire that Elizabeth visits Pemberley, and sees Darcy at home.
The Darcys of Pemberley
Fitzwilliam Darcy is the master of Pemberley, in Derbyshire, with ten thousand pounds a year. His parents are both dead. At the first ball in Meryton he says Elizabeth is "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me", and she never forgets it. His sister Georgiana is ten years younger and painfully shy.
Darcy's mother was Lady Anne, the daughter of an earl. Her sister is Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings Park, in Kent, who has decided that Darcy will marry her sickly daughter Anne. When she hears a rumour that Darcy might marry Elizabeth instead, she drives all the way to Longbourn to stop it, and only makes it happen faster.
The Bingleys
Charles Bingley, Darcy's best friend, is cheerful, rich from his father's trade in the north, and the new tenant of Netherfield Park, near Longbourn. He falls for Jane at once. His sisters, Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst, are snobs. Caroline wants Darcy for herself and is rude about Elizabeth whenever she can. Louisa is married to Mr Hurst, who only cares about eating, drinking and cards.
Mr Wickham
George Wickham is a charming officer in the militia. He was the son of old Mr Darcy's steward, and old Mr Darcy's godson, so he grew up at Pemberley alongside Darcy. He tells Elizabeth that Darcy cheated him out of a living in the church, and she believes him. The truth, as Darcy's letter explains, is that Wickham took money instead, spent it, and then tried to elope with fifteen-year-old Georgiana for her fortune. Later he runs off with Lydia, and only marries her because Darcy secretly pays his debts.
Three weddings
By the end of the book, three Bennet sisters are married: Lydia to Wickham, and then, on the same day, Jane to Bingley and Elizabeth to Darcy. Kitty, kept away from Lydia, improves, and Mary stays at home. That's why Elizabeth and Darcy stand side by side as the stars of this tree, drawn full length in the Oil Painting design's Georgian dress.
Key dates
Austen never gives the year, but the book's dates fit 1811 and 1812, with the action running from one autumn to the next winter.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Autumn 1811 | Bingley takes Netherfield, and the Meryton ball |
| November 1811 | The Netherfield ball. Mr Collins proposes to Elizabeth, then to Charlotte |
| January 1812 | Charlotte marries Mr Collins |
| Spring 1812 | At Rosings, Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, is refused, and writes her his letter |
| Summer 1812 | Elizabeth visits Pemberley with the Gardiners. Lydia runs off with Wickham, and they marry |
| Autumn 1812 | Bingley proposes to Jane, and Darcy proposes again |
| Winter 1812 | Jane and Elizabeth marry on the same day |
| January 1813 | The book is published |
Quick answers
How many Bennet sisters are there?
Five: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia, from eldest to youngest.
How is Mr Collins related to the Bennets?
He's Mr Bennet's distant cousin, and because Longbourn is entailed on the male line, he'll inherit it when Mr Bennet dies. Austen never says exactly how they're related, so on this tree he sits with his wife's family, the Lucases.
Is Lady Catherine de Bourgh Darcy's aunt?
Yes. She's his mother's sister, which makes her daughter Anne de Bourgh his first cousin.
Who does each Bennet sister marry?
Jane marries Charles Bingley, Elizabeth marries Fitzwilliam Darcy, and Lydia marries George Wickham. Mary and Kitty are still single at the end of the book.
Are Darcy and Bingley related?
No. They're best friends, not relations, until they marry sisters and become brothers-in-law.
The story behind this tree
PeoplePlotr drew this tree from a few hundred words of plain English. Nobody dragged a box or drew a line. Here is the story, word for word. Open it in the editor to change it, add to it or use it as the start of your own.
Read the story
Title: Pride and Prejudice family tree Everyone in the family had fair skin. Mr Bennet married Mrs Bennet. Mr Bennet is a man. Mrs Bennet is a woman. Mrs Bennet was born Gardiner. About Mr Bennet: A gentleman of Longbourn, in Hertfordshire. Clever and sarcastic, he hides from his family in his library. His estate is entailed on the male line, so when he dies it will go to his cousin Mr Collins, not to his daughters. About Mrs Bennet: A woman of "mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper". The business of her life is to get her daughters married. Mr Bennet is witty. Mrs Bennet is nervous and silly. They had five daughters, Jane Bennet, Elizabeth Bennet, Mary Bennet, Kitty Bennet and Lydia Bennet. Jane was born about 1789. Jane has long wavy blonde hair. Jane is kind and gentle. About Jane: The eldest and the most beautiful, who always thinks the best of everyone. Elizabeth was born about 1791. Elizabeth is also known as Lizzy. Elizabeth has dark brown curly hair and dark eyes. Elizabeth is clever and cheeky. About Elizabeth: The heroine. Quick, lively and her father's favourite, she takes against Mr Darcy at the first ball and has to learn she was wrong about him. Mary was born about 1793. Mary has brown hair in a bun and glasses. Mary is serious. About Mary: The plain, bookish one, who plays the piano for too long at parties. Kitty was born about 1794. Kitty was born Catherine. Kitty has light brown hair. Kitty is silly. Lydia was born about 1796. Lydia has curly light brown hair. Lydia is cheeky and wild. About Lydia: The youngest, at fifteen, and the boldest. She runs off with Mr Wickham and nearly ruins the family. Mrs Bennet has a brother called Edward Gardiner and a sister called Mrs Phillips. Edward Gardiner is a man. Edward Gardiner was a merchant. Edward Gardiner lives in London. About Edward Gardiner: A sensible, well-bred man in trade, who lives in Gracechurch Street in the City of London, which the Bingley sisters sneer at. It's on a trip with him and his wife to Derbyshire that Elizabeth sees Pemberley. Edward Gardiner married Mrs Gardiner. Mrs Gardiner is a woman. About Mrs Gardiner: Elizabeth's favourite aunt, and her best adviser. Mrs Phillips married Mr Phillips. Mrs Phillips is a woman. Mr Phillips is a man. Mr Phillips was an attorney. Mr Phillips lives in Meryton. Mr Collins is a man. Mr Collins was a clergyman. Mr Collins is pompous. About Mr Collins: Mr Bennet's distant cousin, and the heir to Longbourn. He is rector of Hunsford, under the patronage of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. He proposes to Elizabeth, is turned down, and three days later proposes to her friend Charlotte instead. Sir William Lucas married Lady Lucas. Sir William Lucas is a man. Lady Lucas is a woman. About the Lucas family: Neighbours of the Bennets at Lucas Lodge, near Meryton. About Sir William Lucas: A former Meryton tradesman, knighted after an address to the King, who has never got over it. They had two daughters, Charlotte Lucas and Maria Lucas. Charlotte was born about 1784. Charlotte is sensible. About Charlotte: Elizabeth's best friend. At twenty-seven, with no money, she marries Mr Collins for a comfortable home, and tells Elizabeth "I am not romantic, you know". Mr Collins married Charlotte Lucas in 1812. Mr Darcy married Lady Anne Darcy. Mr Darcy is a man. Lady Anne Darcy is a woman. Mr Darcy died before 1811. Lady Anne Darcy died before 1811. About Mr Darcy: The late owner of Pemberley, in Derbyshire. He was godfather to his steward's son, George Wickham. They had two children, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Georgiana Darcy. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man. Fitzwilliam Darcy was born about 1783. Fitzwilliam Darcy has short dark brown wavy hair. Fitzwilliam Darcy is proud and shy. About Fitzwilliam Darcy: Master of Pemberley, with ten thousand a year. At the Meryton ball he says Elizabeth is "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me", and spends the rest of the book proving he can change. Georgiana Darcy is a woman. Georgiana Darcy was born about 1795. Georgiana has long fair hair. Georgiana is shy. About Georgiana Darcy: Ten years younger than her brother. At fifteen she nearly eloped with Mr Wickham. Lady Anne Darcy has a sister called Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is a woman. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is proud and bossy. About Lady Catherine de Bourgh: A great lady of Rosings Park in Kent, who expects her nephew Darcy to marry her daughter. Lady Catherine de Bourgh married Sir Lewis de Bourgh. Sir Lewis de Bourgh is a man. Sir Lewis de Bourgh died before 1811. They had a daughter called Anne de Bourgh. Anne de Bourgh is shy. Charles Bingley has two sisters, Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst. Charles Bingley is a man. Charles Bingley was born about 1789. Charles Bingley has short curly blond hair. Charles Bingley is cheerful. About Charles Bingley: Darcy's best friend, rich from his father's trade in the north, who rents Netherfield Park near Longbourn and falls for Jane at once. Caroline Bingley is a woman. Caroline Bingley is proud. Caroline Bingley has red hair. About Caroline Bingley: She wants to marry Darcy herself, and is rude about Elizabeth at every chance. Louisa Hurst is a woman. Louisa Hurst married Mr Hurst. Mr Hurst is a man. Mr Hurst is lazy. Order: Louisa Hurst, Caroline Bingley, Charles Bingley. George Wickham is a man. George Wickham was an army officer. George Wickham has short wavy brown hair. George Wickham is friendly. About George Wickham: The son of old Mr Darcy's steward, and old Mr Darcy's godson. He tells Elizabeth that Darcy cheated him, which is a lie. He runs off with Lydia, and only marries her because Darcy pays him to. George Wickham married Lydia Bennet in 1812. Charles Bingley married Jane Bennet in 1812. Fitzwilliam Darcy married Elizabeth Bennet in 1812. Make Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy the stars.
