Summary: Family clusters of multiple myeloma (MM) suggest disease heritability. Nevertheless, patterns of inheritance and the importance of genetic versus environmental risk factors in MM aetiology remain unclear. We pooled data from eleven case‐control studies from the International Multiple Myeloma Consortium to characterize the association of MM risk with having a first‐degree relative with a history of a lympho‐haematapoietic cancer. Unconditional logistic regression models, adjusted for study, sex, age and education level, were used to estimate associations between MM risk and having a first‐degree relative with a history of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, leukaemia or MM. Sex, African American race/ethnicity and age were explored as effect modifiers. A total of 2843 cases and 11 470 controls were included. MM risk was elevated in association with having a first‐degree relative with any lympho‐haematapoietic cancer (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1·29, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1·08–1·55). The association was particularly strong for having a first‐degree relative with MM (OR = 1·90, 95% CI: 1·26–2·87), especially among men (OR = 4·13, 95% CI: 2·17–7·85) and African Americans (OR = 5·52, 95% CI: 1·87–16·27).These results support the hypothesis that genetic inheritance plays a role in MM aetiology. Future studies are warranted to characterize interactions of genetic markers with environmental exposures.