Profile Text
Morissette in 2011, Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Alanis Nadine Morissette
Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date of Birth: June 1, 1974
Ethnicity: * father – French-Canadian, one quarter Irish/Scottish * mother – three quarters Ashkenazi Jewish, one quarter Hungarian
Alanis Morissette is a Canadian alternative rock singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She is also an American citizen.
Her father, Alan Richard Morissette, a teacher and high school principal, was born in Timmins, Ontario, of approximately three quarters French-Canadian and one quarter Irish/Scottish ancestry. Her mother, Georgia Mary Ann (Feuerstein), also a teacher, was born in Budapest, Hungary, of approximately three quarters Ashkenazi Jewish and one quarter Hungarian descent. Alanis’s mother’s parents had survived the Holocaust. Her family left Hungary following the Soviet invasion, settling in Ottawa. Alanis has said that she did not know about her Jewish background until she was in her late 20s.
Alanis’s brother is kirtan and indie pop-rock musician, yoga instructor, therapist, and author Wade Morissette. Alanis is married to American rapper Souleye (Mario Treadway), with whom she has three children.
Alanis’s parents are both Catholic by religion. She was also raised Catholic.
A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2024) stated that Alanis’s genetic ancestry is:
*36% French *34% Ashkenazi Jewish *13% Eastern European *10% Scottish *4% English & Northwestern European *1% Swedish & Danish *1% Baltic *1% German
*36% French *34% Ashkenazi Jewish *13% Eastern European *10% Scottish *4% English & Northwestern European *1% Swedish & Danish *1% Baltic *1% German
Genetically, she was found to have a common ancestor with actress Claire Danes , through Alanis’s father.
Alanis’s patrilineal line can be traced to George Mauricet Morisset, who was born, c. 1575, in Surgères, Charente-Maritime, France, the son of Cleophas Morrissette and Marie.
Alanis’s paternal grandfather was Alan Joseph Morissette (the son of Joseph Hillaire/Hilaire/Helaire Morissette and Noelah/Noella Gertrude McConnell). Alanis’s grandfather Alan was born in Timmins, Cochrane District, Ontario. Alanis’s great-grandfather Joseph was the son of Joseph Morissette and Marie Marguerite Mercier. Noella was the daughter of Eric McArthur McConnell and Isabella Elizabeth Armstrong. She had roots in Nova Scotia. Alanis’s four times great-grandfather, James McConnell, and three other men, were thrown overboard while crossing the Chaudiere Falls waterfalls near Hull in 1815, and was the only survivor; this inspired a folk song.
Alanis’s paternal grandmother was Marie Alexina Lucille Hunault/Huneau (the daughter of Alexandre Hunault/Huneau and Albina Paquet). Alexandre was the son of Gilbert Hunault and Marceline Poitevin. Albina was the daughter of Pierre Paquet and Alexina Tessier.
Alanis’s maternal grandfather was Imre Feuerstein (the son of Eisig/Esig Hersh/Hersch Izidor Feuerstein/Blumenkranz and Roza/Rozalia Sarah Spitzer). Imre was born in Budapest, Hungary, to a Jewish family. His brothers, Gyorgy and Sandor, were forced into slave labour by the Nazis and killed in the Holocaust. Alanis’s great-grandfather Izidor likely was in Drohobycz, Galicia, Austro-Hungarian Empire, now Ukraine, and was the son of Izrael Blumenkranz/Blumenkrantz and Frincze Feuerstein. Alanis’s great-grandmother Roza was born in Obuda, Hungary, the daughter of Salaman Samuel Spitzer and Katalin Mandelbaum. Roza was killed in the Holocaust, in 1945.
Alanis’s maternal grandmother was Nadinia Anna Lauscher/Gulyás (the daughter of Mihály Gulyás and Katalin Lauscher). Nadinia was born in Pilisvorosvar, Hungary, and likely had Hungarian (Catholic) and had Hungarian Jewish ancestry. Mihály was born in Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar, Hungary, the son of György Gulyás and Liza Treba. Katalin was the daughter of Nándor Lauscher and Anna Nagy.
Sources: https://armchairexpertpod.com
Genealogy of Alanis Morissette – https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Alanis’s maternal grandmother, Nadinia (Gulyás) Feuerstein McCully – http://www.legacy.com