How Many Kids Did William Shakespeare Have?
William Shakespeare had three children with his wife. Their names were Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. It is possible that he had other illegitimate children, but if they existed, their identities are unknown.
Susanna was baptized in May 1583, six months after Shakespeare and his wife, Anne, got married. Susanna had one daughter, Elizabeth, who did not have any children herself. Hamnet and Judith, baptized in 1585, were twins. The boy died at the age of 11 while Judith lived until 1662. She had three children, all of whom died young and without children of their own. Because of these deaths, William Shakespeare’s direct line does not continue today. Some scholars have said that Hamnet’s death inspired certain parts of Shakespeare’s plays, most notably “Hamlet.”
