The Shepherd Family Is One of the Most Complicated on Grey's Anatomy — Here Is Who's Who

The matriarch of the Shepherd family, Carolyn was a navy nurse for 25 years. The mother of four daughters and one son (all doctors), Carolyn was widowed early after her husband was killed by two people who wanted his watch. When we first meet Carolyn in season five, she's still very affected by her husband's death, saying that she couldn't even sleep on his side of the bed. Her grief caused her to be distant with her youngest daughter, Amelia, and is the cause for the rift between them. She's tough, but obviously loves her children very much.

Carolyn is played by Tyne Daly, who's well known for her work in television, including her roles in CBS's Cagney and Lacey and Judging Amy.

The eldest Shepherd daughter, Nancy lives in Connecticut with her husband and children, and is a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology. She's made two appearances in Grey's Anatomy, the first in season three. She spends the episode openly expressing her dislike for Meredith Grey and trying to convince Derek to forgive his soon-to-be-ex-wife for cheating on him. In season 15, she runs into Amelia at a hospital and invites her over to dinner. She secretly invites their sister Kathleen, who Amelia doesn't get along with. The dinner doesn't go very well.

Nancy is played by Embeth Davidtz, who is well-known for her roles in Mad Men, Schindler's List, and The Amazing Spider-Man.

Liz is the second Shepherd sister we meet and seemingly the most eager to help her siblings. She appears in season nine when Derek needs one of his sisters to donate a nerve to fix his hand. Liz ends up donating several nerves and, in her appreciation, Meredith shows her an ultrasound, revealing that Meredith's pregnant with Derek's baby.

Liz is played by actress Neve Campbell, best-known for her roles in Party of Five and the Scream movies.

Like the rest of her siblings, Kathleen is a doctor, trained in psychiatry. We meet her for the first time in season 15, where Amelia describes her as Martha Stewart if Martha Stewart had the ability to diagnose you with a mental condition. Like her elder sisters, Kathleen is married with children, though it's not specified how many.

Kathleen is played by Amy Acker, another well-known TV actress. She's starred in Angel, Person of Interest, and The Gifted.

The youngest of the Shepherd clan, Amelia appears in both Private Practice and Grey's Anatomy. She goes through the death of her father, her brother, her son, and her fiancé. She struggles with drug addiction and a benign grade I meningioma that Thomas Koracick, her former mentor, removes. Her romantic relationships are a bit of a roller coaster, especially her relationship with Owen Hunt, her ex-husband. Amelia is currently the head of neurosurgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, having taken over the role from her brother.

Caterina Scorsone has portrayed Amelia since her first appearance in Private Practice. She has also starred in Edge of Darkness and The November Man.

We all know this Shepherd, known as McDreamy, Great God of Neurosurgery, and McMarried. Formerly an attending neurosurgeon and board director at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, Derek was married to Meredith and was the father of their two daughters, Zola and Ellis, and son, Bailey. He died after his car was hit by a semi.

Derek Shepherd is played by Patrick Dempsey. The actor has starred in various films and TV shows, including Sweet Home Alabama, Will & Grace, Enchanted, Once and Again, and Bridget Jones's Baby.