Justin Trudeau
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, as well as distant Irish and Dutch, 1/256th Malaysian, 1/256th Indonesian
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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 Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, from November 4, 2015 to July 18, 2018. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Papineau (QC), since October 14, 2008.
His father, Pierre Trudeau (Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau), from Québec, served as Prime Minister of Canada, from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again, from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984. His mother, Margaret Joan (Sinclair), from Vancouver, is a writer, actress, photographer, and television personality. His maternal grandfather was Liberal Party politician, and businessperson, James Sinclair. Prime Minister Trudeau is married to television host Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, with whom he has three children.
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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 to Étienne Trudeau, who was born, c. 1641, in Ste-Marguerite, La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, France, the son of Francois Trudeau and Catherine Matinier. Étienne 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 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 Marguerite was the daughter of Marc-Solime Cardinal and Marguerite Surprenant dite Lafontaine. Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandfather was of French-Canadian descent, with distant English roots.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandmother was Mary Agnes Emilia 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/Emilie Morrisson/Morrison. Sarah was the daughter of Séraphin 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, Grange, Banffshire, Scotland, and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, as a small child in 1911. He was a Member of the Canadian Parliament for Vancouver North, and then for Coast—Capilano (BC), comulatively, from March 26, 1940 to March 30, 1958. Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal great-grandfather James was born in Caithness, Scotland, the son of Francis Sinclair and Isabella Taylor. Betsy was born in Ross Shire, Scotland, the daughter of Alexander Ross and Betsy/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. His father, Charles Grant Bugden Bernard, was born at Straits Settlements, Singapore, to an Irish-born father and a Scottish-born mother. Thomas’ mother, Annie Oliphant Cornelia Purvis, was born in Batavia, Java, Indonesia, to an English-born mother. 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.
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 –
Genealogies of Prime Minister Trudeau’s father –
Genealogy of Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandparents, James Sinclair and Doris Kathleen Bernard –
Death record of Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal great-grandfather, James George Sinclair –
Marriage record of Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal great-grandparents, Thomas Kirkpatrick Bernard and Rose Edith Ivens –
Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal great-grandmother, Rose Edith Ivens, on the 1906 Canadian Census –
Family history of Prime Minister Trudeau’s mother on Who Do You Think You Are? –
Mention of Prime Minister Trudeau’s Irish ancestry –
