Just stumbled across this trivia bit and found it fascinating:
"Ashton’s paternal grandfather, Earl F. Kutcher, was the brother of Ashton’s maternal great-grandmother, Leona Alice Kutcher. Thus, Ashton’s parents are first cousins, once removed." http://ethnicelebs.com/ashton-kutcher
It's so rare to see that in modern America, especially with a celebrity. Can anyone think of other examples involving well-known folks?
I've been working on Czech/Bohemian lines for a couple months now after getting really into rural Nebraskan history -- what a collection of weirdos we are :) -- and it turns out that he's mainly Bohemian. I saw that passage on Ethnicelebs and did a double-take...you just don't see that anymore!
And, like Oona, my first thought was his fraternal twin brother. :/
I'd make a project, but I don't know who else would go in it, nor do I know how to diplomatically phrase "Modern Celebrity Inbreeding." :)
Do I qualify as famous? Just kidding. My great great grandmother was the youngest sister of my great great great grandfather. My great grandparents were 1st cousins once removed.
That was standard practice in Eastern European Jewish families in the areas that I research, especially families who had rabbinical ancestors. They were in small towns and married cousins. This practice continued in the U.S. in the early 20th century also.