What was the name of Jane Austen's eldest brother?

Jane Austen's eldest brother was James Austen. Born in 1765, James was the first of George and Cassandra Austen's six sons and became an Anglican clergyman, poet, and writer.

James studied at St John's College, Oxford, alongside his younger brother Henry. He later served as rector of Steventon, the Hampshire parish where their father had been rector. Jane's education was strongly shaped by her family, and James helped organise the private theatricals staged by the Austen children in the rectory barn.

James also had literary interests of his own. In the 1790s he published The Loiterer, a weekly periodical that included essays and satire. He may even have printed some early work by Jane, though that possibility is not certain. His daughter Anna later became an important source for Austen family history.

A common mix-up is with Henry Austen, who was also a clergyman and helped promote Jane's novels after her death. James, however, was the eldest brother.