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See Also
See Again
© Getty Images
0 / 29 Fotos
Ice-T
- At the age of eight, Ice-T's parents passed away. The rapper was raised by his aunts afterwards.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
Jamie Foxx
- The actor was adopted by his maternal grandmother following his parents' separation, when he was still a baby.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Nelson Mandela
- The political leader was adopted by Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who ruled the Tembu people in Mqhekezweni, when he was nine years old.
© Getty Images
3 / 29 Fotos
John Lennon
- The artist was raised by his mother's sister, who began taking care of him after his father left the family. She was wealthier than the Lennons and had a significant impact on his musical taste.
© Getty Images
4 / 29 Fotos
Steve Jobs
- When the future Apple co-founder was born, his mother had no support from family or a partner. She decided that adoption would be the best choice for her son.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
Nicole Richie
- Nicole Richie's biological parents were friends with Lionel Richie's family. When she was three years old, they let the Richie's adopt her as they did not have the financial means to raise her.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Eric Clapton
- The artist was born in Ripley, England. He was raised by his grandparents.
© Getty Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Kristin Davis
- The actress was legally adopted by her stepfather when she was three years old.
© Getty Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Kelly Preston
- The late actress was adopted by her stepfather following the death of her biological father, when she was three years old.
© Getty Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Frances McDormand
- The Chicago-born actress was later adopted in Pittsburgh by a Canadian minister and nurse.
© Getty Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Sarah McLachlan
- The Canadian vocalist was adopted by an American family shortly after she was born.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Faith Hill
- A few days after her birth, the singer was adopted by a Mississippi family.
© Getty Images
12 / 29 Fotos
Ray Liotta
- Alfred and Mary Liotta adopted the actor when he was six months old.
© Reuters
13 / 29 Fotos
Keegan-Michael Key
- The actor and comedian was placed for adoption shortly after he was born.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
Skrillex
- The musician brought up by a family friend when he was in his infancy, and later accidentally found out that he was adopted.
© Getty Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Keyshia Cole
- The vocalist was adopted when she was two years old, after her biological father passed away.
© Getty Images
16 / 29 Fotos
DMC
- Darryl McDaniels from Run-DMC discovered that his adopted parents were not his biological parents when he was a teenager.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Melissa Gilbert
- Paul Gilbert, an actor and comedian, adopted Melissa when she was just one-day-old.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
Ric Flair
- In his autobiography 'To Be the Man' the professional wrestler revealed that he was adopted by an American couple of German descent, shortly after he was born.
© Getty Images
19 / 29 Fotos
Babe Ruth
- At the age of seven, the upcoming baseball sensation was placed in an orphanage, where he spent part of his childhood.
© Public Domain
20 / 29 Fotos
Marilyn Monroe
- Following her mother's mental health diagnosis and being deemed unfit to care for her children, the actress found a new family when she was adopted by Albert and Ida Bolender from Hawthorne, California.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Michael Oher
- The ex-American football player was adopted at the age of 17, having previously lived in foster homes and occasionally being homeless.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
- The TV personality was born in Santiago, Chile, and was adopted when she was young.
© Reuters
23 / 29 Fotos
Alonzo Mourning
- Following his parents' divorce at the age of 10, the former basketball player was brought up by an adoptive mother.
© Getty Images
24 / 29 Fotos
Bill Clinton
- Clinton was born to a mother who was widowed, then sent to live with his grandparents. He is one of just two presidents in the history of the United States who were adopted (Gerald Ford being the other).
© Getty Images
25 / 29 Fotos
Truman Capote
- The author's parents split when he was a child. Afterwards, his mother's family cared for him for several years.
© Public Domain
26 / 29 Fotos
Lance Armstrong
- The former pro cyclist was adopted by his stepfather at the age of three.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Trace Cyrus
- Miley Cyrus' maternal sibling was adopted by his stepfather at the age of four.
See also: Famous people who picked careers their parents disapproved of
© Getty Images
28 / 29 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 29 Fotos
Ice-T
- At the age of eight, Ice-T's parents passed away. The rapper was raised by his aunts afterwards.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
Jamie Foxx
- The actor was adopted by his maternal grandmother following his parents' separation, when he was still a baby.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Nelson Mandela
- The political leader was adopted by Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who ruled the Tembu people in Mqhekezweni, when he was nine years old.
© Getty Images
3 / 29 Fotos
John Lennon
- The artist was raised by his mother's sister, who began taking care of him after his father left the family. She was wealthier than the Lennons and had a significant impact on his musical taste.
© Getty Images
4 / 29 Fotos
Steve Jobs
- When the future Apple co-founder was born, his mother had no support from family or a partner. She decided that adoption would be the best choice for her son.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
Nicole Richie
- Nicole Richie's biological parents were friends with Lionel Richie's family. When she was three years old, they let the Richie's adopt her as they did not have the financial means to raise her.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Eric Clapton
- The artist was born in Ripley, England. He was raised by his grandparents.
© Getty Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Kristin Davis
- The actress was legally adopted by her stepfather when she was three years old.
© Getty Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Kelly Preston
- The late actress was adopted by her stepfather following the death of her biological father, when she was three years old.
© Getty Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Frances McDormand
- The Chicago-born actress was later adopted in Pittsburgh by a Canadian minister and nurse.
© Getty Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Sarah McLachlan
- The Canadian vocalist was adopted by an American family shortly after she was born.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Faith Hill
- A few days after her birth, the singer was adopted by a Mississippi family.
© Getty Images
12 / 29 Fotos
Ray Liotta
- Alfred and Mary Liotta adopted the actor when he was six months old.
© Reuters
13 / 29 Fotos
Keegan-Michael Key
- The actor and comedian was placed for adoption shortly after he was born.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
Skrillex
- The musician brought up by a family friend when he was in his infancy, and later accidentally found out that he was adopted.
© Getty Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Keyshia Cole
- The vocalist was adopted when she was two years old, after her biological father passed away.
© Getty Images
16 / 29 Fotos
DMC
- Darryl McDaniels from Run-DMC discovered that his adopted parents were not his biological parents when he was a teenager.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Melissa Gilbert
- Paul Gilbert, an actor and comedian, adopted Melissa when she was just one-day-old.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
Ric Flair
- In his autobiography 'To Be the Man' the professional wrestler revealed that he was adopted by an American couple of German descent, shortly after he was born.
© Getty Images
19 / 29 Fotos
Babe Ruth
- At the age of seven, the upcoming baseball sensation was placed in an orphanage, where he spent part of his childhood.
© Public Domain
20 / 29 Fotos
Marilyn Monroe
- Following her mother's mental health diagnosis and being deemed unfit to care for her children, the actress found a new family when she was adopted by Albert and Ida Bolender from Hawthorne, California.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Michael Oher
- The ex-American football player was adopted at the age of 17, having previously lived in foster homes and occasionally being homeless.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
- The TV personality was born in Santiago, Chile, and was adopted when she was young.
© Reuters
23 / 29 Fotos
Alonzo Mourning
- Following his parents' divorce at the age of 10, the former basketball player was brought up by an adoptive mother.
© Getty Images
24 / 29 Fotos
Bill Clinton
- Clinton was born to a mother who was widowed, then sent to live with his grandparents. He is one of just two presidents in the history of the United States who were adopted (Gerald Ford being the other).
© Getty Images
25 / 29 Fotos
Truman Capote
- The author's parents split when he was a child. Afterwards, his mother's family cared for him for several years.
© Public Domain
26 / 29 Fotos
Lance Armstrong
- The former pro cyclist was adopted by his stepfather at the age of three.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Trace Cyrus
- Miley Cyrus' maternal sibling was adopted by his stepfather at the age of four.
See also: Famous people who picked careers their parents disapproved of
© Getty Images
28 / 29 Fotos
Famous figures who were adopted
You might be surprised by some of the names on this list
© Getty Images
Adoption is more common than many people realize. Chances are, you already know at least one person who has been adopted: or you will at some point in your lifetime. Similarly, many celebrities have been adopted too—being famous doesn't mean you're exempt from the reality of adoption.
Curious? Click on the gallery to learn about famous individuals who were adopted at a young age.
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