كان داروين حفيداً لإراسموس داروين (Erasmus Darwin) من جهة أبيه ولـ يوشيا ويدقود (Josiah Wedgwood)، من جهة أمه.
He was the grandson of two prominent abolitionists: Erasmus Darwin on his father's side, and of Josiah Wedgwood on his mother's side.