LONDON—The two likely opponents in the next general election share Scottish farming roots, but David Cameron's ancestors went on to become richer than Gordon Brown's, according to census data released online on Friday.
In the 1841 census the great-great-great grandfathers of both Conservative leader Cameron and Chancellor Brown—expected to succeed Tony Blair as prime minister this year—were listed as toiling Scottish land.
The two leaders' ancestors are among 24 million names contained in seven historical Scotland censuses from 1841 to 1901, which Web site Ancestry.co.uk placed online fully indexed for the first time on Friday.
Cameron's family history shows his descendants enjoyed economic success in 19th century Scotland. The party leader is the great-great grandson of one of Scotland's most successful financiers, Sir Ewen Cameron, a former London head of banking giant HSBC.
David Cameron can also claim a direct blood relation to King William IV through his father's maternal grandmother.
Brown, on the other hand, comes from a long line of agricultural labourers and stonemasons in Fife and is believed to be the first person in his family to achieve political success.
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