Dan Aykroyd

Aykroyd in 2013, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Daniel Edward Aykroyd

Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Date of Birth: July 1, 1952

Ethnicity:
*father – English, as well as Irish or Scottish, Dutch, and French
*mother – French-Canadian

Dan Aykroyd is a Canadian actor, comedian, musician, and filmmaker. His roles include Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, Coneheads, The Blues Brothers, Neighbors (1981), and Driving Miss Daisy.

He is the son of Lorraine Hélène (Gougeon) and Samuel Cuthbert Peter Hugh Aykroyd, a civil engineer and policy advisor to the Canadian P.M. His brother was actor, comedian, and writer Peter Aykroyd. Dan is married to American actress and beauty queen Donna Dixon, with whom he has three children.

On his father’s side, he has English, as well as Irish or Scottish, and more distant Dutch and French, ancestry. Some of his ancestors had lived in the United States.

On his mother’s side, he is of French-Canadian descent.

Dan’s patrilineal line can be traced to Samuel Aykroyd, who was born, c. 1761, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.

Dan’s paternal grandfather was Maurice James Gladstone Aykroyd (the son of Samuel Augusta Aykroyd and Ellen Jane “Jennie” Wemp). Maurice was born in Frontenac County, Ontario. Samuel was the son of Daniel Aykroyd and Martha McKnight/Knight. Ellen was the daughter of James Jackson Wemp and Elizabeth Thompson McGinnis/McGinniss.

Dan’s paternal grandmother was Marjorie Judith Girdlestone/Girdleston Lightfoot (the daughter of Francis/Frances Cuthbert Lightfoot and Sarah Louisa/Louise Girdlestone/Girdleston). Marjorie was born in Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario, Canada, to English parents. She likely also had some distant French ancestry. Francis was born in Tiverton, Devon, England, the son of Nicholas Francis Lightfoot and Sarah Farley, who was born in Barbados, West Indies. Dan’s great-grandmother Sarah was born in Tunstead, Norfolk, England, and was the daughter of George William Girdlestone and Mary Ann Orris.

Dan’s maternal grandfather was named Edward Joseph Gougeon (the son of Joseph Gougeon). Edward was born in Ontario.

Dan’s maternal grandmother was named Irene Victoria Laurin/Laurier. Irene was born in Québec.

Sources: Genealogy of Dan Aykroyd – https://www.geni.com

Marriage record of Dan’s paternal grandparents, Maurice James Gladstone Aykroyd and Marjorie Judith Girdlestone/Girdleston Lightfoot – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Dan’s maternal grandfather, Edward Joseph Gougeon – https://www.newspapers.com