John Austen of Goudhurst, Kent, married Joan Berry in 1584. Among their many descendants was was one of England's finest writers, Jane Austen and two brothers who became Rear Admirals of the British Fleet. Although John has usually been regarded as the ancestor of the family it is now thought that his great grandfather was William Astyn of Yalding. Descendants may have migrated to Ramsgate and Loose in Kent. The West Kent branch became wealthy through wool and cloth, purchasing Broadford and Grovehurst at Horsmonden.


Descendancy Chart of William Astyn

William Astyn

├── Stephen Astyn

│ └── Robert Austen, d. 1603

│ ├── John Austen, bap. 1560 Goudhurst, d. 1620

│ │ +Joan Berry, m. 1584, d. 1604

│ │ ├── John Austen, b. 1585, d. 1650

│ │ ├── Unknown Austen

│ │ ├── Unknown Austen

│ │ ├── Unknown Austen

│ │ ├── Francis Austen, b. 1600, d. 1688

│ │ │ └── John Austen, b. circa 1629, d. 1705

│ │ │ +Jane Atkins, b. Brightling, d. 1686

│ │ │ ├── Jane Austen

│ │ │ │ +Stephen Stringer, b. Triggs, m. 1680

│ │ │ │ ├── Mary Stringer, b. 1700, d. 1759

│ │ │ │ │ +John Austen, b. 1696, d. 1728

│ │ │ │ │ ├── John Austen, b. 1716, d. 1807

│ │ │ │ │ └── Elizabeth Austen

│ │ │ │ ├── Hannah Stringer

│ │ │ │ │ +William Monke

│ │ │ │ │ └── Jane Monke

│ │ │ │ └── Jane Stringer

│ │ │ │ +Thomas Weston

│ │ │ ├── Ann Austen

│ │ │ │ +John Holman

│ │ │ ├── Francis Austen

│ │ │ ├── John Austen, b. 1670, d. 1704

│ │ │ │ +Elizabeth Weller, m. 1693, d. 1720

│ │ │ │ ├── Elizabeth Austen, b. 1695

│ │ │ │ │ +George Hooper

│ │ │ │ ├── John Austen, b. 1696, d. 1728

│ │ │ │ │ +Mary Stringer, b. 1700, d. 1759

│ │ │ │ │ ├── John Austen (see above)

│ │ │ │ │ └── Elizabeth Austen (see above)

│ │ │ │ ├── Francis Austen, b. 1698, d. 1791

│ │ │ │ │ +Ann Motley, d. 1747

│ │ │ │ │ └── Francis Motley Austen, b. 1747, d. 1815

│ │ │ │ │ +Jane Lennard, m. circa 1755, d. 1782

│ │ │ │ │ ├── Sackville Austen, d. 1786

│ │ │ │ │ └── John Austen, d. 1831

│ │ │ │ ├── Thomas Austen, b. 1699, d. 1772

│ │ │ │ │ +Elizabeth Burgess

│ │ │ │ │ └── Henry Austen, b. 1725, d. 1807

│ │ │ │ ├── William Austen, b. 1701 Broadford, Horsmonden, d. 1737

│ │ │ │ │ +Rebecca Hampson, d. 1732

│ │ │ │ │ ├── Hampson Austen, b. 1728, d. 1730

│ │ │ │ │ ├── Philadelphia Austen, b. 1730, d. 1792

│ │ │ │ │ ├── George Austen, b. 1731, d. 1805

│ │ │ │ │ └── Leonora Austen, b. 1732

│ │ │ │ │ +Susannah Kelk, m. 1736, d. 1768

│ │ │ │ ├── Robert Austen, b. 1702, d. 1728 Leigh Green

│ │ │ │ └── Stephen Austen, b. 1704, d. 1751

│ │ │ │ +Elizabeth Waters

│ │ │ └── Ellen Austen

│ │ ├── Unknown Austen

│ │ ├── Unknown Austen

│ │ ├── Thomas Austen, d. 1604

│ │ └── Richard Austen, b. 1604

│ ├── Stephen Austen, bap. 1561 Goudhurst

│ ├── Martha Austen, b. Horsmonden

│ ├── Judith Austen, b. Horsmonden

│ ├── Elizabeth Austen, b. Horsmonden

│ └── Benjamin Austen, b. Horsmonden

└── Nicholas Astyn

A comprehensive descendancy tree starting with William and Elizabeth Astyn has been compiled by Ron Dunning.
An interview with Ron following the completion of the project has been transcribed.
 
Links to some Jane Austen organisations, events etc.

Jane Austen Society of UK

Jane Austen Society of North America

Jane Austen Society of Australia

Jane Austen information page

 Jane Austen walking tour