You could try www.cumberbatch.org for more information.

Last edited by Lily (January 26, 2014 2:50 am)

This article interested me so much that I researched Benedict′s ancestry a bit. And I must say – woooow! The Cumberbatch family is one of the most peculiar and interesting family ever!!
 
Here are the nine generations of Benedict′s ancestors traceable via two internet family databases:
 
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[*]John Carleton / Abraham Cumberbatch (both lived at the end of 17-century) – two patriarchs who probably still lived in England.
[*]Edward Carleton (1704-1765) + his wife Ann Cumberbatch (1708) – he was the son of John Carleton and she was the daughter of Abraham Cumberbatch, who only had daughters. They lived in St. Thomas and St. Peter on Barbados Island and yes, they owned plantations and slaves.
[*]Abraham (Carleton) Cumberbatch (1727-25.7.1785) + his wife Elisabeth Trent (died 1797) – this man adopted the surname Cumberbatch from his maternal grandfather in order to inherit some family fortune. But his male descendants generally tended to keep the surname „Carlton“ as their middle name. This man also gave his surname to his slaves. The thousands of black Cumberbatches inhabiting Barbados, Trinidad and USA today inherited their surname from him. (And by that, those people are really a bit related to Benedict, so to speak.)
[*]Abraham Cumberbatch (1754-16.6.1796) + his wife Mary Cumberbatch Sober (born 29.11.1765) – still the slave and plantation owners living in St. Peter on Barbados Island.
[*]Abraham Parry Cumberbatch (29.11.1784-10.10.1840) – married twice, first to Charlotte Jones (born 1784), then to Caroline Chaloner (born 1788). England abolished slavery in 1803, or so I think and he left Barbados after that. But he didn′t just settled peacefuly in England. He became the ambassador of England in the Ottoman Empire and the Levant. Cumberbatch blood is certainly adventurous!
[*]Robert William Cumberbatch (9.2.1822-1876) + his wife Louisa Grace Hanson (born 1831) – he was born in Smyrna and she in Constantinopole in today′s Turkey. They continued their work as an ambassadors of England in the Ottoman Empire. Robert was a well known philantropist and he did much good work when helping the poor of Smyrna and building some hospitals for people suffering from cholera.
[*]Henry Arnold (or Alfred) Cumberbatch CMG (27.6.1858-3.12.1918) + his wife Helene Gertrude Rees (14.5.1869-15.8.1928) – as a child of an ambassador Henry was born in Berdyansk in today′s Ukraine. He continued the ambassador′s work and what is interesting, the man was an abolitionist and he often shielded and hid slaves at his embassy. The civilisation surely changed much in 100 years!
[*]Henry Carlton Cumberbatch (8.12.1900-27.1.1966) + his wife Pauline Ellen Laing Congdon – young Henry Carlton was born in Smyrna in today′s Turkey. He was a decorated naval officer who commanded vessels in two world wars. He was also a semi-professional sportsman, especially good in tennis and in shooting. He was Benedict′s grandfather.
[*]Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born in October 1939) + his wife Wanda Ventham - Benedict′s parents, actors and obviously nice people.
[*]And finally our favorite actor Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch, born 19.7.1976 who has the same adventurous blood as his ancestors.
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If they did Who Do You Think You Are with him they would need to make, like, three or four instalments about him alone.  One instalment woldn′t be enough for him – he has so many interesting ancestors!