Whether you're a casual music listener or a diehard fanatic, the odds are probably pretty good that you know who so-called "King of Pop" is recognized around the world over for his storied creative catalog, his voice, dance moves, mannerisms, and certainly having his fair share of eccentricities. There are, however, other notable of Michael's family tree, including his own children, his siblings and their offspring, and the fame they've found.

There's a lot more to learn about the Jacksons than just Michael, his time with his brothers in the bands The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, and even the career exploits of his successful sister Janet. Those iconic voices have to start from somewhere, and the Jackson family grew roots from modestly humble beginnings. Here's more about the full Jackson family tree, from their family's start to their most recent .

The First Generation Of Jacksons

A Showbiz Sprout Begins Blooming

The Jackson clan's patriarch was born in Arkansas as Joseph Walter Jackson, and he moved around a few times in his youth due to family instability until finally settling down as a laborer in East Chicago, Indiana. It was there that he met Jackson matriarch Katherine Scruse. While Jackson initially had dreams of becoming a professional boxer or musician, he wound up marrying Katherine and becoming a crane operator instead. The couple would eventually move to a small home they purchased in Gary, Indiana, where all of their children were born (one of whom would die soon after childbirth).

In total, Joe and Katherine Jackson would have six boys named Michael, Tito, Jermaine, Jackie, Marlon, and Randy, and three girls named Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet. The couple would have a very involved role in their children's lives. Both Joe and Katherine actively worked to use their musical talents to stoke the flames of music in their sons Michael, Tito, Jackie, Jermaine, and Marlon (and later Randy), as they'd go on to form the Motown boy band the Jackson 5 (and later The Jacksons).

Joe would continue working as a crane operator while Katherine was primarily a stay-at-home mother until Joe later decided to manage the musical careers of all of his children as the Jackson 5 began to take off. While the siblings began to embark on their own musical paths, two separate paths seemed to form when it came to how the second Jackson generation felt about their parents. While Katherine seemed to be largely regarded with public affection by her children, on-and-off complaints of abuse about their father, Joe, ran rampant for years from most of the next-generation Jacksons.

Not much is known of Katherine these days, as she's well into an advanced age, while Joe died of pancreatic cancer in 2018. They've left behind some not-always rosy memories but certainly set the table for their children's fortunes to come as the "First Family of Soul." That next generation had quite a mixture of fortunes indeed.

A Jackson Tree Grows In Hollywood

The Second Gen Raises The Bar

As previously mentioned, the second-generation branch of the Jacksons first found their way into fame and notoriety through the rise of brothers Tito, Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael as the Jackson 5 (known later as The Jacksons, where Randy would replace Jermaine). Randy and his sisters La Toya, Rebbie, and Janet would their brothers for a series of Las Vegas performances in the mid-70s. The children (sans Jermaine) would all also later appear together on a short-lived variety show called The Jacksons. Eventually, however, the time would come when the siblings would go their separate ways.

For Michael, that meant going solo from the Jackson 5/The Jacksons, cutting ties from his father's heavy-handed and harsh management, and embarking on one of the most stellar singing careers in the history of music. Michael would revolutionize fashion, dancing, entertainment, and the way he sang and wrote music. His famed collaborations with producer Quincy Jones were the stuff of legend; Michael Jackson's albums like Bad, Thriller, and Off the Wall were absolutely timeless. Despite tabloid and personal controversies, Michael remains an icon and a Music Hall of Famer, even after his accidental death from overprescribed drugs in 2009.

As for Tito Jackson, as a foundational member and guitarist of the Jackson 5/The Jacksons, he continued to play in various incarnations of the band until they ceased touring and recording by the end of the 1980s. They would briefly reunite in 2001 for a concert special put on by Michael, but otherwise Tito became a session musician and producer. He made solo albums Tito Time in 2016 and Under Your Spell in 2021 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his brothers in 1997. Tito ed away from a heart attack in 2024.

Similarly to Tito, Jackie Jackson continued to stay involved with the Jackson 5/The Jacksons as a vocalist through their final tour, album recording, and 2001 reunion. Jackie also released the solo albums Jackie Jackson in 1973 and Be the One in 1989 and would later found two record companies in Las Vegas called Jesco Records and Futuristic Entertainment. Jackie also founded the record label Critically Amused and would briefly tour as a quartet with brothers Jermaine, Tito, and Marlon in the early 2010s, playing Jackson 5 hits. He has four children.

Jermaine Jackson would also mostly be a fixture of the Jackson 5/The Jacksons during their tenure, even after a brief split from the group. The band left Motown Records due to a dispute over royalties, but Jermaine would stay, citing company loyalty, and start a solo career as a singer with 1972's Jermaine. The artist and musician would go on to release thirteen more studio albums over the years, with his last coming in 2012. He's also written a memoir, has had seven kids, and appeared on reality television over the years.

When it came to Marlon Jackson, his career outside the Jackson 5/The Jacksons was mostly unrelated to music. While he did release a 1987 solo album called Baby Tonight, Marlon chose to embark on other ventures like real estate and broadcasting. He's also helped run the Study Peace Foundation, which helps to promote peace and unity in communities worldwide. Marlon has a large family with three children and six grandkids.

The final Jackson brother, Randy, initially came to prominence within The Jacksons in 1975 after he'd replaced his brother Jermaine in the group. Randy is a skilled multi-instrumentalist, and, following his work with The Jacksons, released an album called Randy & the Gypsys in 1989 and also provided instrumentation for his brother Michael and Lionel Richie's solo work. He's also been a partner with his sister Janet on her independent record label, Rhythm Nation Records.

Speaking of Janet, she's certainly been the most successful of the female Jackson siblings in this second generation. The youngest of the group, Janet started out as an actress on television shows like Good Times and Fame, eventually incorporating her own solo music beginning with the 1982 album Janet Jackson. Similar to her brother Michael, she also cut business ties with her family following her second album and never looked back. Janet has sold over 100 million records, cut 11 solo albums, and also, like Michael and her brothers, is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Janet's sister, La Toya, has also had an extensive music career, putting out ten studio releases from 1980 to 1995. She's also been a New York Times bestselling author on two occasions and returned to releasing music in the early 2000s following a controversial marriage to entertainment manager Jack Gordon. La Toya has also had a lengthy career on reality television.

Final sister Rebbie (the oldest of the second generation Jackson siblings) initially hadn't intended to sing in public. However, after her family's show business success and her opportunities to sing in public and on television, she found that she enjoyed it and embarked on a music career. Rebbie released four solo albums over the years, led by songs like "Centipede" and "Yours Faithfully" and continued to periodically perform in public into the early 2010s.

While the output of music has slowed down in recent years for the second generation of Jackson family , it doesn't mean the creativity has stopped, especially when it comes to the grandchildren of Joe and Katherine Jackson's nine children and what the latest of the family tree are doing. The legacy continues to live on in the new generation.

The Jackson Journey Continues

Opening Into a Third Generation

Of Michael Jackson's three children, daughter Paris seems to be pursuing the family business as both a solo artist and as a member of the band The Soundflowers. She released her first solo album, Wilted, in 2020, as well as both a solo and band-related set of EPs. Paris has also acted on both the film and television screens in titles like Swarm in the last several years.

Meanwhile, Tito Jackson's sons, Taj, Taryll, and TJ, have all been pursuing music together under the band name 3T. The trio has released three albums together titled Brotherhood, Identity, and Chapter III. Taryll and TJ have both pursued their own separate solo material. The three brothers have had their own children and also appeared in a reality show together about their lives.

Jackie Jackson also has a child in the music business of his four offspring, as his son Sigmund (called "Siggy") has performed as a hip-hop artist who goes by the name Dealz. Siggy also owns a production company with his wife called Undeniable Visions that produces various documentaries.

Jermaine Jackson's son, Jaafar, has not only been singing and dancing in a way reminiscent of Michael from a young age, but is also, ironically, slated to be playing his uncle Michael in an biopic about the singer's life. Jaafar has also started to release his own solo songs, the only out of all of his eight siblings.

Marlon and Randy Jackson don't have any children in the music business, while Janet has a very young son, and La Toya has never had children. Rebbie Jackson has one son in music named Austin Brown, one of her three children, who has released his own original material and worked with artists including Ariana Grande and Macy Gray.