His family is a distinguished one in Tainan: his grandfather Lien Ya-tang authored a history of Taiwan, while his father Lien Chen-tung served the ROC in several key posts, including Minister of the Interior, a member of the Executive Yuan's Political Affairs Committee, and as an advisor to the President.
連戰出身台南望族，祖父是「台灣通史」的作者連雅堂，父親連震東曾任內政部長、行政院政務委員、總統府國策顧問、總統府資政等職。