Profile Text
Atwood in 2018, photo by DFree /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Margaret Eleanor Atwood
Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date of Birth: November 18, 1939
Ethnicity: English, some Irish and Scottish
Margaret Atwood is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, inventor, teacher, and environmental activist.
She is the daughter of Margaret Dorothy (Killam), a dietician and nutritionist, and Carl Edmund Atwood, an entomologist. Her father was from Clyde River, Shelburne, and her mother was from Woodville, Kings, both in Nova Scotia. Her family had deep roots in the province, going back 200 years, and in Massachusetts before that. Margaret was raised in the backwoods of northern Québec, and as well as Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, and Toronto.
Margaret has a daughter with her late partner, novelist Graeme Gibson.
Margaret’s paternal grandfather was Herbert Leslie Atwood (the son of Benjamin Ellis Atwood and Dorcas Swaine Nickerson). Herbert was born in Pubnico, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Benjamin was born in Nova Scotia, the son of Benjamin Atwood, whose family was from Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts; and of Deborah Swain. Margaret’s great-grandmother Dorcas was born in Nova Scotia, the daughter of Caleb N. Nickerson, whose paternal grandparents were from Barnstable, Massachusetts; and of Mary Worthen, whose family was also from Massachussetts.
Margaret’s paternal grandmother was Florence Cornelia McGowan (the daughter of Daniel McGowan and Mary Bessia/Bezia Davis). Florence was born in Summerville Centre, Queens, Nova Scotia. Daniel was born in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, the son of David McGowan and Elizabeth Buchanan. Mary was born in Upper Clyde River, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, the daughter of David Davis and Christiana McKay.
Margaret’s maternal grandfather was Harold Edwin Killam (the son of William Henry Killam and Amanda Fitzalan Woodman). Harold was born in Woodville, Kings, Nova Scotia. William was born in Woodville, and likely was the son of Amasa Killam, whose maternal grandparents were from Newport, Rhode Island; and of Amy Rand, whose maternal grandparents were from Plymouth, Massachusetts. Margaret’s great-grandmother Amanda was born in Wolfville, Kings, and likely was the daughter of William Woodman and Louisa Jane Harris.
Margaret’s maternal grandmother was Ora Louise Webster (the daughter of Samuel Wesley Webster and Louise/Louisa D. Robinson). Ora was born in Cambridge, Kings, Nova Scotia. Samuel was born in Cambridge, Kings, the son of Asael Webster and Wealthy Lavinia Tupper, whose paternal grandparents were from Plymouth, Massachusetts. Margaret’s great-grandmother Louise was born in Nova Scotia, the daughter of Benjamin Robinson and Abigail/Abby Tupper Patterson, whose maternal roots were in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Margaret’s maternal grandparents were third cousins, through their shared great-great-grandparents Charles Tupper and Elizabeth West.
Through Margaret’s paternal grandfather, she is a descendant of William Brewster (c. 1566-1644), a Mayflower passenger and noted Pilgrim. Among many of William’s other descendants are actors Jordana Brewster , Paget Brewster , Austin Butler , Hero Fiennes Tiffin , Taylor Lautner , Seth MacFarlane , and Elisabeth Shue , actors and models Noah Mills and Brandon Routh , director, producer, screenwriter, and cinematographer Zack Snyder , singer Buffy Sainte-Marie , soccer player Clint Dempsey , novelist Thomas Pynchon , Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld , U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller , Governor of Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller , and soldier, civil engineer, and politician George B. McClellan .
Sources: Genealogies of Margaret Atwood – https://www.geni.com https://famouskin.com