# Is Ned Flanders Flemish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290 "2014-05-12T18:10:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290/21 "2014-05-13T02:15:50Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > That one is just a coincidence then, the Wikipedia article for the [Northwest Portland district](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_District,_Portland,_Oregon) does mention Van Houten, which is in the North Portland district, separated from the other “Simpsons streets” in Northwest Portland. I had no idea. That’s a funny coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290/22 "2014-05-15T21:56:35Z")
Back to the OP, the _Simpsons_ wiki has an “extended” [Flanders family tree.](http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Flanders_family?file=Flanders_Family_Tree.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290/23 "2014-05-16T16:15:51Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Back to the OP, the _Simpsons_ wiki has an “extended” [Flanders family tree.](http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Flanders_family?file=Flanders_Family_Tree.jpg) While the Lord Thistlewick of Flanders would suggest Ned’s g-grandfather is from Flanders, at the Flanders family reunion BBQ, the current Lord Thistlewick Flanders is shown and appears to be British. A lot of nobility claimed titles for remote lands they had no real connection to. Some could be bought. The title for King/Queen of Jerusalem got passed around for centuries. The “Thistlewick” is more likely to indicate a geographic base in England. (Also the family tree leaves out Edna and his Vegas Wife.) ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290/24 "2014-05-16T16:44:48Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > FWIW, Flanders is a street in Portland, Oregon, the source for many of the Simpson character names (along with Kearney, Lovejoy, Quimby, Van Houten, etc.). > [@friedo](#): > > Matt Groening named a lot of his characters after streets and places around where he grew up in Portland. There is indeed a Flanders Street there. That’s interesting I didn’t know that. Here’s a good article on it including a map. > **['The Simpsons' map of Portland (What other proof do you need that they're...](https://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2012/05/the_simpsons_map_of_portland_w.html)** > > One need only drive, bike or take the monorail (actually, we have a tram) around Portland to to see the signs pointing to the Simpsons' home. (Psst! It's gotta be Oregon.) ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290/25 "2014-05-16T18:10:20Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > That one is just a coincidence then, the Wikipedia article for the [Northwest Portland district](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_District,_Portland,_Oregon) does mention Van Houten, which is in the North Portland district, separated from the other “Simpsons streets” in Northwest Portland. that’s because it’s in the Danish section of town. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290/26 "2014-05-16T23:22:27Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Richard Nixon was in the Manson Family?? 😕 would explain a lot [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ned-flanders-flemish/688290.md?page=1)