The Clayton Family are a noble house in England, who figure in Edgar Rice Burroughs's Tarzan stories as holders of the title of "Lord Greystoke" (which, it must be noted, Burroughs openly states is not their real title).
Philip José Farmer's biography Tarzan Alive delves deep into the family's history, notably in Addendum 3 "The Greystoke Lineage", which he wrote in a deliberate evocation of the style of Burke's Peerage. The family are confirmed as holders of the Dukedom of Greystoke (although Farmer again indicates that this is not their real title). Among the members of the family (acknowledged and otherwise) are some of the most famous names of the past two hundred years. They have intermarried with several other families present at the Wold Newton Event, including the Drummonds and Rutherfords.
Notable Descendents of the (Extended) Clayton Family
- Tarzan
- Doc Savage
- Lord Peter Wimsey
- Lord John Roxton
- General Sir William Clayton
- Fu Manchu (and therefore his children Fah lo Suee and Shang Chi)
- Professor Moriarty (this is a matter of some debate, but could extend to Wolf Larsen if true)
- Richard Wentworth, aka The Spider