# Do US Presidents Seem To Have An Inordinate Number Of Daughters?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 20, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234 "2009-01-20T23:44:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/1 "2009-01-20T23:44:03Z")
I was thinking about this during Obama’s inauguration. I think you have to go back to Bush Sr. to find a president who sired a son, yes? And then there was Ron Jr. and I’m pretty sure Carter had a son or two, but were there any First Sons since JFK Jr. actually _living_ in the White House as children? Interesting? Yes? No?
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/2 "2009-01-20T23:49:31Z")
The Fords had 3 sons (Jack, Michael, Steven) and a daughter (Susan), but only Susan lived in the White House IIRC. The others were in college or older still.
Reagan’s sons Ron and Michael were grown by the time of his presidency.
Same with Bush’s sons Jeb, Marvin, and W.
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/3 "2009-01-20T23:56:57Z")
The Carter sons were James III, Donnell and John, but I honestly do not remember thing 1 about any of them. Only Amy lived in the WH IIRC.
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/4 "2009-01-21T00:13:48Z")
Ron Regan and Jeff Carter were just out of college when their fathers got elected. Most presidents tend to be at least 50 so that means their kids are typically at least college age. Clinton and Obama were young enough to have kids still in school. Amy Carter was born when Jimmy was 43 so that is why she was young enough to live in the White House. (he was elected at 52)
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### Author:  [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/5 "2009-01-21T01:29:50Z")
If they did have more daughters, then that would be contrary to what would be predicted. If the balance where skewed towards one, I would expect males based upon the Trivers-Willard hypothesis.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/6 "2009-01-21T02:12:26Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#):
>
> The Fords had 3 sons (Jack, Michael, Steven) and a daughter (Susan), but only Susan lived in the White House IIRC. The others were in college or older still.
>
> Reagan’s sons Ron and Michael were grown by the time of his presidency.
> Same with Bush’s sons Jeb, Marvin, and W.
I think Ford’s youngest son lived in the WH. Didn’t he and Susan sometimes play pranks on their Secret Service detail?
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/7 "2009-01-21T02:21:13Z")
Ford’s youngest son was 18 when he took office so he was probably in college during the 2 years Ford was in office. He could have stayed at the WH during college breaks.
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### Author:  [@Hirundo82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirundo82)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/8 "2009-01-21T02:55:39Z")
Since I’m bored I did a little math using Wikipedia’s [List of children of the Presidents of the United States](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_children_of_the_Presidents_of_the_United_States).
I counted biological children of the Presidents (no stepchildren or adopted children) born alive (John Adams, Martin Van Buren, and JFK each had one stillborn child, all female). Children who did not survive childhood are included, as are children born after leaving office.
All Presidents
Total=158
Daughters=75 (47%)
Last 100 years
Total=50
Daughters=23 (46%)
Last 50 years
Total=32
Daughters=16 (50%)
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### Author:  [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/9 "2009-01-21T14:09:44Z")
edit: nevermind
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### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/10 "2009-01-21T15:01:56Z")
> [@Hirundo82](#):
>
> Since I’m bored I did a little math using Wikipedia’s [List of children of the Presidents of the United States](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_children_of_the_Presidents_of_the_United_States).
>
> I counted biological children of the Presidents (no stepchildren or adopted children) born alive (John Adams, Martin Van Buren, and JFK each had one stillborn child, all female). Children who did not survive childhood are included, as are children born after leaving office.
>
> All Presidents
> Total=158
> Daughters=75 (47%)
>
> Last 100 years
> Total=50
> Daughters=23 (46%)
>
> Last 50 years
> Total=32
> Daughters=16 (50%)
Nice work! Can you run the same calculations for daughters who actually lived in the WH? Excluding being home for college breaks, I think we have to go back to JFK, Jr. to find a son who lived in the WH.
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/11 "2009-01-21T15:24:12Z")
The Kennedys had two stillborn children, alas, a daughter and a son: [Patrick Bouvier Kennedy - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Bouvier_Kennedy)
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### Author:  [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/12 "2009-01-21T18:28:10Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> The Kennedys had two stillborn children, alas, a daughter and a son: [Patrick Bouvier Kennedy - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Bouvier_Kennedy)
Patrick wasn’t stillborn, he lived two days.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/13 "2009-01-21T20:10:03Z")
**Hirundo82** data makes me think that there might be an issue regarding media coverage of presidential daughters. They might get more attention for various good reasons (note especially the Nixon daughters’ weddings). But also daughters might just plain be considered more “interesting” to the media. Hence they stick in our memories more.
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### Author:  [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/14 "2009-01-21T20:56:03Z")
> [@Hirundo82](#):
>
> Last 50 years
> Total=32
> Daughters=16 (50%)
So that’s nearly half, right? 😉 Great work! Thank you very much.
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### Author:  [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-us-presidents-seem-to-have-an-inordinate-number-of-daughters/482234/15 "2009-01-21T23:25:13Z")
i do remember that at ford’s funeral, carter mentioned, that both men had 3 sons. then their prayers were answered (or some such, can’t remember the exact phrasing) and they had daughters. he nodded at susan ford. one of her brothers shoulder bumped her, and smiled at her. it was a really sweet moment. and summed up the way the 2 men looked at their youngest.
perhaps that is it. the father’s relationship with the daughters is why it sticks in the mind.