How many brothers and sisters did william shakespeare have?

some doubt that shakespeare was even a man, or even one man,and claim that any documents where part of a mid-evil coverup(many in my family are die hard conspirecy freeks...) I don't buy it though, go with another answer...  more

Altogether Shakespeare had seven siblings; four sisters and three brothers. The eldest, Joan, died from the plague shortly after her birth in 1558. Margaret was born in 1562 and survived only a year. -then came William himself in 1564- Gilbert came next in 1566 and eventually became a successful tradesman, dying in 1612. Then came the second Joan (named after her sister) in 1569, who outlived all the other members of the Shakespeare family by living to be seventy-seven, dying in 1646. Another sister, Anne, was born in 1571, but tragedy struck again when she died in 1579 aged eight. Richard was born in 1574 and led an unremarkable life in Stratford and died in 1613. The youngest, Edmund was born in 1580 and followed his famous brother into the acting profession. Sadly, not as successful, he died in 1607. His expensive funeral and memorial in St. Saviour's church in London was paid for by William.  more