Game of Thrones Family Tree: How the Houses Connect

The Game of Thrones family tree is difficult to follow because blood is only one source of power in Westeros. Marriage can create an army, a secret child can destabilize a throne, and a publicly accepted heir may have no biological connection to the dynasty whose name they carry.

This guide explains how the major families in the original HBO series connect through parentage, marriage, succession, and political obligation. It focuses on the Starks, Lannisters, Baratheons, Targaryens, Tullys, and Tyrells without attempting to trace every branch across centuries of Westerosi history.

Major spoilers follow for all eight seasons of Game of Thrones.

The Game of Thrones House Quiz explores how you respond when loyalty, inheritance, ambition, personal principles, and family pressure come into conflict. Your choices shape a House match based on how you handle those tensions—not on how many names you can place on a family tree.

Your place in the realm begins below. Choose carefully; in Westeros, even a private decision can become a matter of succession.

How to Read the Game of Thrones Family Tree

A basic family tree shows parents, children, siblings, and marriages. In Game of Thrones, that is only the beginning.

Five types of connection repeatedly affect the story:

● Blood relationships: who is biologically related to whom.

● Marriage: alliances created between Houses.

● Public legitimacy: who the realm officially recognizes as a lawful child or heir.

● Secret parentage: identities concealed for protection or political advantage.

● Succession: the order in which people claim titles, lands, or the Iron Throne.

These categories often contradict one another.

Joffrey is publicly recognized as Robert Baratheon's eldest son, giving him the strongest visible claim when Robert dies. Biologically, however, he is the son of Jaime and Cersei Lannister. Jon Snow is publicly raised as Ned Stark's illegitimate son, but he is actually the child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

A Game of Thrones family tree is therefore also a map of secrets, disputed authority, and obligations that characters did not choose for themselves.

The Stark Family

House Stark begins the series as the ruling family of the North. Eddard "Ned" Stark is married to Catelyn Tully, joining the Starks of Winterfell to the Tullys of Riverrun.

Their children are:

● Robb Stark

● Sansa Stark

● Arya Stark

● Bran Stark

● Rickon Stark

Jon Snow is raised alongside them as Ned's illegitimate son, although his true relationship to the family is later revealed to be different.

Ned Stark and Catelyn Tully

Catelyn was originally promised to Ned's older brother, Brandon Stark. After Brandon is killed by the Mad King, Catelyn marries Ned instead, preserving the alliance between Houses Stark and Tully during Robert's Rebellion.

Their marriage begins as a political duty but grows into a loyal partnership. The main unresolved wound between them is Jon. Catelyn believes he is evidence that Ned was unfaithful during the war.

Ned accepts her anger because revealing the truth—that Jon is Lyanna Stark's son—could lead Robert Baratheon to have the child killed.

Robb Stark

Robb is Ned and Catelyn's eldest son and the heir to Winterfell. After Ned's execution, the northern lords declare him King in the North.

His downfall is tied to marriage and succession politics. Robb promises to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters in return for military passage across the Twins. In the television series, he later marries Talisa for love.

By placing personal choice above a political agreement, Robb weakens the alliance supporting his campaign. The broken promise helps create the conditions for the Red Wedding.

Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon

Sansa is repeatedly used as a potential link between Houses. Her marriages to Tyrion Lannister and Ramsay Bolton are designed to transfer political control through her Stark identity.

Arya rejects the expected path of a noble daughter, but she never abandons her loyalty to her family. Her separation from formal politics allows her to act outside the structures that constrain Sansa.

Bran becomes Ned's senior surviving legitimate son after Robb and Rickon die. He does not take up the traditional Stark role at Winterfell, however, because his identity becomes tied to the Three-Eyed Raven.

Rickon is the youngest Stark child. His death removes another potential male heir and strengthens Sansa's practical position in the North.

Jon Snow's Place in the Stark Family

Jon grows up believing Ned is his father and the Stark children are his half-siblings. His mother is actually Lyanna Stark, making Ned his uncle.

Jon is therefore the first cousin of Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. Emotionally, however, they remain the siblings with whom he was raised.

This distinction matters because the truth changes Jon's political identity without replacing the family relationships that formed him.

Discover Where Your Loyalty Leads

The Lannister Family

Tywin Lannister is the head of House Lannister and the father of three children:

● Jaime Lannister

● Cersei Lannister

● Tyrion Lannister

Their mother, Joanna Lannister, dies giving birth to Tyrion. Tywin never forgives Tyrion for her death and repeatedly treats him as a threat to the family's dignity.

Cersei and Jaime Lannister

Cersei and Jaime are twins who maintain a secret incestuous relationship. Jaime is the biological father of Cersei's three children:

● Joffrey

● Myrcella

● Tommen

Publicly, all three are presented as the children of Cersei and King Robert Baratheon.

Their hidden parentage is one of the central causes of the War of the Five Kings. Ned discovers the truth by comparing the children's appearance with the strong physical traits seen throughout Robert's acknowledged family line.

Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion is legally part of House Lannister, but he is repeatedly denied the respect and authority attached to the name.

Tywin uses Tyrion when his intelligence is useful, yet refuses to treat him as a worthy heir. Cersei blames him for their mother's death and later sees him as a threat to her children.

Tyrion's eventual break with his family becomes both personal and political. He kills Tywin, leaves Westeros, and supports Daenerys Targaryen against Cersei.

His story shows how a family identity can provide access and protection while also becoming a source of humiliation and control.

Cersei's Children and the Baratheon Name

Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are biologically the children of two Lannisters. Politically, they belong to House Baratheon because Robert is publicly accepted as their father.

This difference between blood and legitimacy is crucial. Joffrey can inherit the throne only while the realm recognizes him as Robert's lawful son.

Once his parentage is challenged, the legal claim shifts toward Robert's brother Stannis.

The Baratheon Claim

The three Baratheon brothers are Robert, Stannis, and Renly.

Robert becomes king after defeating the Targaryen dynasty. His authority comes from conquest, the support of the rebellion, and a distant blood connection to House Targaryen through his grandmother, Rhaelle Targaryen.

Robert Baratheon

Robert's marriage to Cersei joins the new monarchy to House Lannister's wealth and political influence.

The alliance is useful, but the marriage itself is hostile and emotionally empty. Robert remains attached to the memory of Lyanna Stark, while Cersei continues her relationship with Jaime.

Their failed marriage produces a public succession line that is politically powerful but biologically false.

Stannis Baratheon

If Robert has no legitimate children, Stannis is his lawful heir as the older surviving brother.

Stannis treats succession as a matter of duty and legal order. He believes that personal popularity should not override birthright.

His claim is legally stronger than Renly's, but he lacks the broad support needed to convert that claim into rule. In Westeros, having the better argument is not the same as having the stronger position.

Renly Baratheon

Renly is the youngest brother. He declares himself king even though Stannis comes before him in the line of succession.

Renly's case is based on political viability. He is charismatic, supported by House Tyrell, and backed by a large army.

The conflict between Stannis and Renly reveals that royal claims are judged through several competing standards: law, blood, alliances, military strength, and public acceptance.

How the Starks and Targaryens Connect

The connection between Houses Stark and Targaryen centers on four people:

● Rhaegar Targaryen

● Lyanna Stark

● Jon Snow

● Daenerys Targaryen

Rhaegar is the eldest son of Aerys II Targaryen and the older brother of Viserys and Daenerys. Lyanna is the younger sister of Ned Stark.

The television series reveals that Rhaegar and Lyanna secretly married. Their son is Jon Snow, whose Targaryen name is given as Aegon Targaryen.

Jon therefore belongs by blood to both Houses Stark and Targaryen.

Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen

Daenerys is Rhaegar's younger sister, making her Jon's aunt.

Their romantic relationship begins before either understands this connection. Once Jon's identity becomes known, the discovery creates both a personal conflict and a succession problem.

Daenerys has built her claim around being the surviving heir of House Targaryen. Jon, as Rhaegar's son, may have a stronger claim under the succession logic accepted by many Westerosi nobles.

The tension is not only about who has better blood. It is also about reputation, gender, conquest, secrecy, and who the realm is willing to follow.

This article limits the Targaryen family tree to the relationships needed to understand Jon, Daenerys, and the final struggle for rule. The wider dynasty extends far beyond these generations.

Marriages That Changed the Balance of Power

In Westeros, marriage is rarely treated as a private relationship. It transfers loyalty, creates claims, settles disputes, and gives one family access to another family's lands or army.

Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister

Robert and Cersei's marriage stabilizes the new regime after the rebellion by linking the crown to House Lannister.

Its failure, however, produces the secret that destabilizes the throne. The alliance creates political strength while the personal relationship beneath it collapses.

Robb Stark and the Frey Agreement

Robb's promise to marry a Frey daughter gives his army access to the Twins. Breaking that agreement turns an essential ally into an enemy.

The consequences show that a noble marriage promise belongs to the army and House as much as to the person expected to marry.

Sansa Stark's Political Marriages

Sansa is first promised to Joffrey, which would join Stark blood to the royal line. After the Starks become enemies of the crown, that arrangement is abandoned.

She is then married to Tyrion. The Lannisters hope that any child of the marriage could inherit Winterfell through Sansa.

Later, her marriage to Ramsay Bolton is used to legitimize Bolton control of the North. In each case, Sansa's family identity makes her valuable to people seeking authority over Stark lands.

Margaery Tyrell's Marriage Strategy

Margaery is married first to Renly Baratheon, then to Joffrey, and finally to Tommen.

Each marriage moves House Tyrell closer to the throne. Her personal charm matters, but the strategy is dynastic: the Tyrells seek influence by placing Margaery beside whichever king is most politically useful.

See Which House Matches Your Choices

Who Has a Claim to the Iron Throne?

The series presents several major claims, each based on a different source of legitimacy.

● Joffrey and Tommen: publicly recognized as Robert's sons, but biologically Jaime's.

● Stannis Baratheon: Robert's lawful heir if Cersei's children are illegitimate.

● Renly Baratheon: supported by popularity, military strength, and House Tyrell rather than strict succession.

● Daenerys Targaryen: daughter of Aerys II and surviving member of the deposed royal dynasty.

● Jon Snow: son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, with a potentially stronger hereditary claim than Daenerys.

● Cersei Lannister: takes the throne through control of King's Landing rather than a strong hereditary claim.

No claim operates through blood alone. A claimant also needs recognition, alliances, military power, and the ability to survive long enough to be crowned.

That is why succession in Game of Thrones is never simply a family-tree problem. It is a contest over which version of legitimacy the realm will accept.

Family Loyalty Versus Personal Choice

Many characters cannot choose the House into which they are born, but they can choose what that inheritance means.

Ned treats family duty as protection, even when fulfilling it requires living with a damaging lie. Robb places personal love above a political promise, with disastrous consequences for his House. Sansa gradually learns to use her Stark identity as a source of authority rather than allowing others to use it against her.

Jaime repeatedly struggles between loyalty to Cersei and the person he might become outside her influence. Tyrion rejects Tywin's definition of the family while continuing to carry the Lannister name. Daenerys treats Targaryen ancestry as both a claim and a mission, while Jon remains emotionally tied to the Starks despite discovering a different bloodline.

Some characters treat family as an obligation. Others use it as political capital. A few decide that personal principle matters more than inherited loyalty.

These choices reveal more about them than their surnames alone.

Connections Viewers Most Often Confuse

Is Jon Snow Ned Stark's son?

No. Ned raises Jon as his illegitimate son, but Jon is the child of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Ned is his maternal uncle.

How are Jon and Daenerys related?

Daenerys is Rhaegar's younger sister. Because Jon is Rhaegar's son, Daenerys is Jon's aunt.

Are Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen Baratheons?

They use the Baratheon name publicly, but Jaime Lannister is their biological father. They are biologically the children of Jaime and Cersei.

How are the Starks and Tullys related?

Catelyn Tully marries Ned Stark. Their children—Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon—therefore belong to House Stark through their father and descend from House Tully through their mother.

Why does Stannis believe he is king?

Stannis believes Robert left no legitimate children. As Robert's older surviving brother, he considers himself the lawful heir.

Is Tyrion related to Joffrey?

Yes. Tyrion is Cersei and Jaime's brother, making him Joffrey's maternal and paternal uncle.

Game of Thrones Family Tree FAQ

Who are Jon Snow's real parents?

Jon Snow's parents are Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Ned Stark raises him as his own illegitimate son to protect him from Robert Baratheon.

Is Jon Snow a Stark or a Targaryen?

Jon is both by blood. His mother is a Stark and his father is a Targaryen. He is raised within House Stark and identifies strongly with the family that protected him.

Is Daenerys Jon Snow's sister?

No. Daenerys is Jon's aunt because she is the younger sister of his father, Rhaegar.

Who are Cersei's children?

Cersei's children are Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen. Robert Baratheon is publicly presented as their father, but Jaime Lannister is their biological father.

How are Sansa and Tyrion related?

They are not related by blood. They are forced into a political marriage intended to give House Lannister a future claim over Winterfell through Sansa.

How do the Tyrells connect to the royal family?

Margaery Tyrell marries Renly Baratheon, then Joffrey Baratheon, and later Tommen Baratheon. These marriages are intended to bring House Tyrell close to royal power.

Why is the Game of Thrones family tree so important?

The family tree explains who can inherit, which Houses are allied, why certain marriages matter, and how secrets such as Jon's identity or Joffrey's parentage alter the struggle for the throne.

What Would Your House Loyalty Look Like?

The families of Game of Thrones show that birth determines a character's starting position, but not every choice that follows. Some characters obey their House even when it conflicts with personal judgment. Others use family identity as a political resource, and some risk everything to reject the role their name has assigned them.

The Game of Thrones House Quiz explores how you respond when loyalty, inheritance, ambition, responsibility, and personal conviction compete. It is designed around the choices you make under pressure rather than your ability to recall every marriage or secret branch of the family tree.

Your result offers a House match shaped by the pattern across your decisions, helping you see which approach to loyalty and power most closely reflects your own.

The ravens have carried enough family news. Now the choice is yours.

Discover Your Game of Thrones House

Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, the names of its Houses, characters, settings, and all related works are the property of their respective rights holders. This independent article and House quiz are unofficial fan-created content and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by George R. R. Martin, HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery, or the creators and cast of the television series.