J.K Rowling

(About The Author)

Writing under the pen name J.K. Rowling, which is pronounced like “rolling,” the author originally published her first Harry Potter book as Joanne Rowling. To appeal to a demographic of young boys who might be hesitant to read a book authored by a woman, her publishers insisted that she adopt a more gender-neutral pseudonym. Lacking a middle name, she selected the letter “K” as her second initial, drawing inspiration from her paternal grandmother, Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling. While she prefers to be called Jo, she humorously remarked that the name “Joanne” was only used when someone was upset with her. After her marriage, she occasionally used the name Joanne Murray for personal matters, and during the Leveson Inquiry, she provided testimony under the name Joanne Kathleen Rowling. In a 2012 interview, she expressed indifference towards the mispronunciation of her name.

Born on July 31, 1965, in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, J.K. Rowling is the daughter of Peter James Rowling, an engineer for Rolls-Royce aircraft, and Anne Rowling (née Volant). Her mother had a rich heritage, being half-French and half-Scottish. The couple’s love story began on a train journey from King’s Cross Station to Arbroath in 1964, culminating in their marriage on March 14, 1965. Rowling’s maternal lineage includes her grandfather Dugald Campbell, who hailed from Lamlash on the Isle of Arran, and her paternal grandfather Louis Volant, who was honored with the Croix de Guerre for his valor during World War I while defending a village in France.

Rowling’s childhood was marked by the arrival of her sister Dianne, born when Rowling was just 23 months old. The family relocated to Winterbourne, a nearby village when Rowling turned four. She attended St Michael’s Primary School, established by the notable abolitionist William Wilberforce and the education reformer Hannah More. The headmaster of St Michael’s, Alfred Dunn, has been speculated to have inspired the character of Albus Dumbledore, the beloved headmaster of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series. From a young age, Rowling displayed a passion for storytelling, often crafting imaginative fantasy tales that she would share with her family, laying the groundwork for her future as a celebrated author.