Is Tom Hanks Related to Abraham Lincoln? The Surprising Answer Set the Internet Abuzz

Actor Tom Hanks has made quite the name for himself in Hollywood, starring in films like Castaway, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Apollo 13, and more.

But as it turns out, the internet is wondering if he has a famous relative who has even bigger accomplishments under his belt.

So is Tom Hanks related to former President Abraham Lincoln? It may seem like an odd question, but you may be surprised by the answer. Here's what we know about their potential connection, and how both Tom and Lincoln connect to other famous faces in Hollywood.

Abraham Lincoln's historic record is remarkable by any standards.

His accomplishments include:

• Keeping the Union together despite the fractious warring between the North and the South,
• Issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, which was a turning point in the abolition of slavery,
• Enacting the Homestead Act, which provided land to settlers,
• Starting the National Banking system and launching the Department of Agriculture.

And so much more. While Tom's accomplishments lie more in the arts than in writing history and shaping the future of a nation, they're both celebrated in their own rights.

So do they share blood ties?

Surprisingly, they do.

According to GenealogyBlog, Tom is the third cousin of Lincoln, four generations removed. According to the site, Lincoln’s great-great-grand-father was John Hanks, who was also Tom’s great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather.

In 2014, Tom revealed the familial connection when he announced he would work as a narrator on National Geographic’s Killing Lincoln. Lincoln's mother was named Nancy Hanks, which may sound familiar.

Tom said of the relation, "The members of my branch of the family are either cousins or in-laws or poor relations." He added, "So when I was at school, guess which president I was always doing essays on" (excerpt via Ancestry.com).

Interestingly, though, Tom and Lincoln aren't the only big names who share the family tree.

According to FamousKin.com, Lincoln himself is related to several famous modern stars, including Elvis Presley. Elvis is Lincoln's third cousin, five times removed according to the site.

There's also wrestler and actor John Cena, whom the site claims is Lincoln's fifth cousin, five times removed.

Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney is even closer, as a first cousin, five times removed.

And the list goes on.

According to FamousKin, other noteworthy Lincoln relatives include founding father John Hancock, Amelia Earhart, John Ritter, John Denver, Jane Austen, former President James Garfield, T.S. Eliot, Milton Bradley, Tennessee Williams, and Orville and Wilbur Wright.

So it's safe to say that there's something magic in those Lincoln bloodlines.

While Tom and Lincoln's ties may not be super close, they're certainly close enough to make note of.