Katherine Howard & Howards of England

I have no idea if we're related to her, but now I'm piecing some things together! SOMEONE has thought or believes we are! At least, I think so, because now I wonder at all the references to Henry VIII and pointing out his portrait so often and...I don't know.

Maybe my Nana was just a Howard, a common one, but maybe not. If not, I guess the Howards were prominent in English aristocracy for some time. Katherine Howard was Henry's 5th wife, but she was actually a cousin of his FIRST wife, Anne Boleyne. Of course, I went online to take a look at her portrait--Katherine's that is. Come on, what American hasn't done this? Right? We all have someone "famous" in our lineage somewhere. So yes, as a matter of fact, I was wondering if there was any family resemblence.

The Howards were mainly Catholic. At least, Katherine was. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Howard. There were a lot of them so we are probably related to one of them, but Katherine never had any children by Henry so no royal "Howard" lineage, though there is a famous castle still. I guess it doesn't matter but it's sort of interesting at least. I mean, I need to know why people want to bring me down or are jealous or want to "off" me, don't I?! Maybe my ancestry carries liabilities!

House of Howard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Howard. What is strange, is that if we're even distantly related to some branch of Howards, then I am related to Lady Godiva on BOTH my mother and my father's side. Lady Godiva. Why does this woman keep figuring into my life? She was always my favorite ancestor, because she's such a colorful character, but on BOTH sides of my family? I guess it all goes back to Adam & Eve.

Now I'm curious about the Goffs, who were Irish but further back, Welsh, so I'd like to know more. Something I discovered just today is that Henry VII and Henry VIII were actually not Saxon or English per se, but Welsh and when they came into power, they reversed prejudicial laws which were against the Welsh.

Hmm, but now I'm reading the Goffs, or Goffes, or whatever, were also of French origin. I wonder if that's how the french idea came into the picture. I don't know if we're maybe the French or the Welsh version of Irish Goff.

Hmm. More research would have to be done. I have no idea what version of Goff we are but if we were protestant and came from Ireland, who knows. Would have to check it out more. Would need to check out welsh, english, and gaelic variants. Sort of interesting.

Who knows. Well, I've had enough of a history lesson for today.

UPDATE:

Aunt said Howards were Irish she thought? Hmmm. So no relation to Howards in England if that's the case, however, as far as I know, Nana was mainly English. So that would be an English Howard. But maybe she was English from something else and then the Goff is the Irish? I have no idea. I think it's fun to discover things though so I want to know everything.

I have relatives in Pennsylvania!!! From Great grandfather Garrett. I wonder if they are very musical too?