![\"Football\"](\"https:\/\/www.hibbittbarnes.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/football.gif\")
When I was growing up I didn’t have a great interest in football. My elder brother used to be, and still is, extremely enthusiastic about the sport and so I adopted a favourite team when I was about 9 years old. That team was Chelsea, picked out simply because I liked the colour they wore. Since those days, I’ve become an avid football fan and it’s good to see the team doing so well in the last few years.<\/p>\n
Where is all this leading, I hear you say! Bear with me, there is a genealogical point here. Back in the 1970’s you may remember two footballing brothers with the same surname as me \u2013 Terry Hibbitt and Kenny Hibbitt<\/strong><\/span>. I can still see Terry in Newcastle’s black and white strip (the Magpies) and Kenny in the distinctive gold of Wolves. Hibbitt, being a relatively unusual name, particularly with this spelling, I often wondered if we were related.<\/p>\n So recently, I set about researching the brothers’ ancestry and, to my surprise and delight, I found a connection. We are\/were (sadly Terry passed away in 1994) fifth cousins. My 4 x great-grandparents, Luke Hibbit and Mary (nee Leerin\/Leeson?)<\/a><\/strong>, were Terry and Kenny’s 4 x great-grandparents too. They are descended from the couple’s son, Luke, whereas I am descended from their son, Amos.<\/p>\n My brother supports Plymouth Argyle (well it’s tough but somebody has to) but his son supports Newcastle United for reasons unknown. However, it now seems my nephew’s team choice wasn’t so obscure after all.<\/p>\n [Update:<\/strong> since I first posted, DNA testing has proven my Hibbitt line doesn’t go back further than about 4 or 5 generations and so, sadly we aren’t related to the famous footballers after all.]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When I was growing up I didn’t have a great interest in football. My elder brother used to be, and still is, extremely enthusiastic about the sport and so I adopted a favourite team when I was about 9 years … Continue reading