Justin Trudeau

Trudeau in 2011, image via Mark Spowart/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Justin Pierre James Trudeau

Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Date of Birth: December 25, 1971

Ethnicity: French-Canadian (approximately 3/8ths), Scottish, English, distant Irish and Dutch, 1/256th Malaysian, 1/256th Indonesian

Justin Trudeau is a Canadian politician. He is the twenty third Prime Minister of Canada, having been sworn into office on November 4, 2015. He has been Leader of the Liberal Party, since April 14, 2013, and also serves as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, as of November 4, 2015. He has been a Member of the Canadian Parliament for Papineau (QC), since October 14, 2008.

His father, Pierre Trudeau (Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau), served as Prime Minister of Canada from 1968 to 1979, and again from 1980 to 1984. His mother, Margaret Joan (Sinclair), is a writer, actress, photographer, and television personality. He is married to television host Sophie Grégoire, and the couple has three children.

Prime Minister Trudeau is of approximately three eighths French-Canadian descent. His father was of French-Canadian, some Scottish, distant English, and likely distant Dutch, ancestry. Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandfather was a Scottish immigrant, while Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandmother was of mostly English and Scottish descent, along with a smaller amount of French, Dutch, and Irish roots, as well as 1/64th Malaysian, and 1/64th Indonesian, ancestry.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s patrilineal line can be traced back to Étienne-Pierre Trudeau, who was born, c. 1641, in Sainte-Marguerite de Cogne, La Rochelle, Aunis, France. Étienne-Pierre moved to Montréal, Québec, Canada. The surname was spelled Truteau in the 1500s.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal five times great-grandmother, Antoinette Clement, was the daughter of a French father and an ethnic Malaysian mother, making Prime Minister Trudeau of 1/256th Malaysian descent. Another of Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal five times great-grandmothers, Anna Francina Carels/Karels, was the daughter of a Dutch father and an ethnic Indonesian mother, making Prime Minister Trudeau of 1/256th Indonesian descent. As such, Prime Minister Trudeau is the first Prime Minister of Canada with documented non-European ancestry. Previous Prime Minister Paul Martin has been said to have distant Métis (First Nations) ancestry, although this has not evidently been verified. Prime Minister Trudeau’s mother traced her Malaysian roots on the CBC series Who Do You Think You Are?

Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Charles-Émile Trudeau (the son of Joseph-Louis Trudeau and Marie/Marguerite Malvina Cardinal). Prime Minister Trudeau’s grandfather Joseph was born in Saint-Michel-de-Napierville, Québec. Prime Minister Trudeau’s great-grandfather Joseph-Louis was the son of Louis Trudeau and Marie Louise Dupuis. Prime Minister Trudeau’s great-grandmother Marie Cardinal was the daughter of Marc-Solime Rene Cardinal and Marguerite Surprenant. Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandfather was of French-Canadian descent, with distant English roots.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandmother was Grace Elliott (the daughter of Philippe/Phillip/Philip Armstrong Elliott/Elliot and Sarah Rebecca Sauvé). Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandmother Grace was born in Montréal, Québec, and was of approximately one half French-Canadian descent, with her other roots being Scottish, and possibly distant Dutch. Philippe was the son of Edward Simon Elliott/Elliot and Amelia Morrisson/Morrison. Sarah was the daughter of Séraphin Francois Sauvé and Agnès Clark.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandfather was James Sinclair (the son of James George Sinclair and Betsy Ross). Prime Minister Trudeau’s grandfather James was born in Crossroads, The Grange, Banffshire, Scotland, and was a Canadian MP from 1940 to 1958, from British Columbia. Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal great-grandfather James was born in Caithness, Scotland, the son of James Sinclair and Isabella Taylor. Betsy was born in Ross Shire, Scotland, the daughter of Alexander Ross and Betty-Ann Munro.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandmother was Doris Kathleen Bernard (the daughter of Thomas Kirkpatrick Bernard and Rose Edith Ivens). Prime Minister Trudeau’s grandmother Doris was born in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. Prime Minister Trudeau’s great-grandfather Thomas was born in Macassar, Indonesia, the son of Charles Grant Bugden Bernard, who was born in Singapore, and of Annie Oliphant Cornelia Purvis, who was born in Batavia, Java, Indonesia. Prime Minister Trudeau’s great-grandfather Thomas was a descendant of William Farquhar (1774-1839), a Scottish-born colonial leader of Singapore, who worked for the East India Company.

Justin Trudeau with wife Sophie Grégoire in 2008, photo by Prphotos

Prime Minister Trudeau’s matrilineal great-grandmother Rose Edith Ivens was born in Virden, Manitoba, Canada, the daughter of Charles Howe Ivens, who was from Buckinghamshire, England, and of Julia Webb, who was also English.

Sources: Genealogies of Prime Minister Trudeau – http://www.geni.com
http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca
http://famouskin.com
http://www.wikitree.com
http://www.perche-quebec.com

Genealogies of Prime Minister Trudeau’s father – http://www.francogene.com
http://www.findagrave.com

Genealogy of Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandparents, James Sinclair and Doris Kathleen Bernard – http://www.thepeerage.com

Marriage record of Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal great-grandparents, Thomas Kirkpatrick Bernard and Rose Edith Ivens – https://familysearch.org

Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal great-grandmother, Rose Edith Ivens, on the 1906 Canadian Census – https://familysearch.org

Family history of Prime Minister Trudeau’s mother on Who Do You Think You Are? – http://www.cbc.ca
https://web.archive.org

Mention of Prime Minister Trudeau’s Irish ancestry – https://blog.findmypast.co.uk