Gavin Newsom‘s journey from a challenging childhood in San Francisco to the governor’s office is a story deeply shaped by his family. His path was influenced by a father with deep political and financial connections and a mother whose resilience left a lasting impression. The blend of their backgrounds, from his dad’s established lineage to his mom’s Scottish roots, paints a picture of a classic American story with its own unique California twists.
Parental Influence and Background
Gavin Newsom’s father, William Alfred “Bill” Newsom III, was a prominent figure with a multifaceted career as a state appeals court judge and the longtime manager of the multi-billion-dollar Getty family trust. Appointed to the bench by Governor Jerry Brown, the senior Newsom served as an appellate court justice for 17 years until his retirement in 1995.
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His close, lifelong friendship with Gordon Getty, son of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, was a defining relationship; he was even trusted to help deliver ransom money during the infamous kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III. This connection to the Getty fortune would later play a crucial role in Gavin’s own business success. Beyond the courtroom and finance, Bill Newsom was a dedicated environmentalist, serving on the boards of the Sierra Club Foundation and the Environmental Defense Fund.
In stark contrast, Gavin’s mother, Tessa Thomas (Menzies) Newsom, faced a life of hardship and immense personal strength. She married Bill Newsom in 1966 at just 19, but the couple divorced in 1971 when Gavin was three. Tessa was left to raise Gavin and his younger sister, Hilary, largely on her own. To support her home, she worked multiple jobs simultaneously—often as a waitress, bookkeeper, and secretary. The family experienced financial strain, with Gavin recalling “lean Christmases” and the need for his mom to open their home to foster children.
Tessa later worked for her son’s company, PlumpJack, as a controller before her death from breast cancer in 2002. Gavin’s maternal ancestry is Scottish, and his great-grandfather on his mother’s side, Thomas Addis, was a pioneering Scottish-born nephrologist and professor at Stanford University.
Siblings, Ethnicity, and Finances
Gavin Newsom has one sibling, a younger sister named Hilary Newsom Callan. Like her brother, Hilary has been involved in the family’s business ventures. The Newsoms’ ethnicity reflects a diverse heritage. Gavin is a fourth-generation San Franciscan. His father’s lineage is English, with roots tracing back to early American settlers in Virginia. Combined with his mother’s Scottish ancestry, this gives him a primarily Western European ethnic background.
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Discussing the “net worth” of Gavin Newsom’s parents requires looking at two different pictures. While his dad, Bill, moved in wealthy circles and managed vast fortunes for the Gettys, the family describes their own household finances as often being tight, partly because Bill was known to donate much of his income to charitable causes. This created an environment where Gavin felt the need to work various jobs, like washing cars and working at a deli, as a teenager, to help out.
The family’s financial situation was firmly stabilized by Gavin’s own business success. With the crucial financial backing of his father’s friend, Gordon Getty, Gavin co-founded the PlumpJack Group, a venture that grew to include wineries, restaurants, and hotels, and made him a multimillionaire. His dad lived to see him become Governor-elect of California, passing away in San Francisco in December 2018 at the age of 84.
