At the 4th generation, I have 2^4 = 16 ancestors:
If the Gordon, Stewart (not spelled in the French no-w Stuart way), McKennon, McKinnon, and McClellan lines are mostly from Scotland; and if Lowry, Thompson, and Gwynes are mostly English; then I might be (approximately as estimated at the 4th generation level):
Of course, if you go back far enough, your ancestors will NOT all be distinct. For example, at the 6th generation, Robert Dickerson, who came from England to Virginia and then to South Carolina, is my double-ancestor because he was the great-great-grandfather of both my grandmother Clara Dodd and my grandfather James Smith, who were therefore 3rd cousins.
My cousin Fred Smith has been skeptical of some of my genealogical research and I now (April 2017) see
that my earlier version of this web page showing a Culpepper chain was wrong.
I think that this Taylor chain is correct. My earlier error was to consider the father of James Taylor I (1635-1698) to be
John Taylor (1611-1658) son of Matthew Taylor grandson of Elizabeth Chute (Taylor) grest-grandson of Margaret Culpepper (Chute)
when in fact it seems that the father of James Taylor I is
John Taylor I, the immigrant born 1607 in Pennington Castle, Carlisle, Cumberland, England; died 1651 in Virginia
The Taylor chain continues based in Angouleme back through
William I "Taillefer" d'Angouleme (born ca 895) to Breisgau in
the 700s.
Aymer d'Angouleme, born 1160, is 23 generations back. At that
level of ancestry, I had 2^23 = 8,388,608 ancestors, so it is
not surprising that they include some prominent people such as
the brother of Queen Consort Isabella (1188-1246) of England's
King John (1166-1216) during the Robin Hood era.
Some other interesting connections from the Taylor chain
are:
James Taylor II (1674-1730) father of Zachary Taylor Sr. and
Frances Taylor.
Zachary Taylor Sr. is father of Richard
Taylor who is father of USA President Zachary Taylor
and
Frances Taylor married Ambrose Madison.
Their son James Madison, Sr., is father of USA President James
Madison, Jr.,
namesake of my grandfather and his father.
John Taylor immigrant (1607-1652) is father of Thomas Taylor
(1628-1687) who is father of Thomas Taylor (1657-1712).
His daughter Dorothy Taylor (1681-1754)
married William Lee, Jr. 1704-1764).
Their son William Lee III (1705-1763) is
father of Ann "Nanny" Lee (1742-1794) who married Joseph Hanks
(1725-1793).
Their daughter Lucy Hanks (1767-1833) was
mother of Nancy Hanks (1784-1818) whose father is unknown.
Nancy Hanks married Thomas Herring Lincoln
I (1778-1851) the father of USA President Abraham Lincoln
(1809-1865).
Thomas Taylor, Jr. born 1574 is father of Anne Taylor
(1620-1657) who married Miles Cary (1622-1667).
Their daughter Bridget Carey (1652-1670)
married William Bassett II (1630-1671).
Their son William Bassett III (1671-1723)
was father of William Bassett IV (1709-1792) who was father of
Elizabeth Bassett (1730-1792)
who married Benjamin Harrison V (1726-1791)
who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Their son William Henry Harrison
(1773-1841) was USA President and Grandfather of USA President
Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901).
Also, my 15-Great Grandfather William Taylor II born
1429 is the 9-Great Grandfather of General William
Tecumseh Sherman.
......