Ultimate Guide to the Bringing Up Bates Family: Every Child, Couple, and New Arrival
Nineteen kids, ten TV seasons, zero multiples: Gil and Kelly Jo Bates turned a 1987 wedding into a sprawling family saga, welcoming their first child a year later and, by 2012, nine sons and ten daughters chronicled on Bringing Up Bates.
If you remember UPtv's mega-family show 'Bringing Up Bates,' here is the quick refresher on who they are, how big the family actually is, and how their TV run played out.
The Bates family in a snapshot
Gil Bates and Kelly Jo Bates got married in December 1987. Their first child arrived the next year, and then they just... kept going. By 2012, Kelly had delivered 19 children with zero multiples in the mix. That is nine boys and ten girls, one at a time, which is a wild stat no matter how you slice it. As the kids grew up, a bunch of them got married, and the grandkid count climbed past 15 and is still ticking up.
- December 1987: Gil and Kelly tie the knot
- 1988: Their first child is born
- By 2012: They have 19 kids total - nine sons, ten daughters, no twins or multiples
- Over the years: Many of those 19 get married
- Now: More than 15 grandchildren and counting
Their TV timeline
The family first showed up on TV in 2012 with a series called 'United Bates of America.' Three years later, they were back with 'Bringing Up Bates' on UPtv, which became the thing most people know them for. That series ran a full 10 seasons before UPtv pulled the plug in January 2022. No midseason drama here, just a straight cancellation notice after a long run.