Profile Text
Birth Name: Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau
Date of Birth: October 18, 1919
Place of Birth: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Date of Death: September 28, 2000
Place of Death: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Ethnicity: French-Canadian (approximately three quarters), some Scottish, distant English, remote Irish and Dutch
Pierre Trudeau was a Canadian lawyer, intellectual, activist, and politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he served as the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada , from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again, from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984. He was also Minister of Justice, and Attorney General of Canada, both, from April 4, 1967 to July 5, 1968, Leader of the Liberal Party, from April 6, 1968 to June 16, 1984, and Leader of the Opposition, from June 4, 1979 to March 3, 1980. He was a Member of Parliament for Mount Royal (QC), from November 8, 1965 to June 30, 1984.
He was the first Canadian Prime Minister to have been born in the 20th century.
Prime Minister Trudeau was the son of Mary Agnes Emilia Grace (Elliott) and Charles Trudeau (Joseph Charles-Émile Trudeau), a businessman. His father was of French-Canadian descent, with distant English roots. His mother was of approximately one half French-Canadian descent, with her other roots being Scottish, and distant Dutch. He also had remote Irish ancestry.
Prime Minister Trudeau had four children, politician Justin Trudeau , who was also Prime Minister of Canada, from November 4, 2015 to March 14, 2025; filmmaker, journalist, and writer Alexandre Trudeau; and the late Michel Trudeau, all with his former wife, author, actress, and photographer Margaret Joan (Sinclair); and a daughter, Sarah, with his former partner, constitutional lawyer, professor, and author Deborah Coyne.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s patrilineal line can be traced to Étienne Trudeau/Truteau, who was born, c. 1641, in Ste-Marguerite, La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, France, the son of Francois Trudeau/Trudaud/Truteau and Catherine Matinier. Étienne moved to Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandfather was Joseph-Louis Trudeau (the son of Louis Trudeau and Marie-Louise Dupuis). Prime Minister Trudeau’s grandfather Joseph-Louis was born in Saint-Michel-de-Napierville, Québec. Prime Minister Trudeau’s great-grandfather Louis was the son of Louis Michel Trudeau and Marguerite Gagné. Marie-Louise was the daughter of Michel Dupuis and Josephte Boire.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s paternal grandmother was Marguerite-Malvina Cardinal (the daughter of Marc-Solime Cardinal and Marguerite Surprenant dite Lafontaine). Prime Minister Trudeau’s grandmother Marguerite was born in St-Constant, Québec. Marc-Solime was the son of Pierre Cardinal and Marie-Anne Ste-Marie/Sainte-Marie. Prime Minister Trudeau’s great-grandmother Marguerite was born in Québec, the daughter of Joseph Surprenant dit Lafontaine and Archange Dubuc.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandfather was Phillip Armstrong Elliott (the son of Edward Elliott and Amelia/Emilie Morrisson/Morrison). Phillip was born in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, Lanaudiere Region, Québec. Edward was born in Québec. His father, Simon Elliott/Elliot, was born in Lavaltrie, Québec, to a Scottish father and a French-Canadian mother. Edward’s mother, Rebecca Armstrong, was born in Maskinonge, Québec, to American parents. Prime Minister Trudeau’s great-grandmother Amelia was born in Québec, the daughter of William Morisson/Morrison, who had Scottish and French-Canadian ancestry; and of Margaret Elizabeth Armstrong, who was born in Maskinonge, Québec, to American parents, and was the sister of Rebecca Armstrong.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s maternal grandmother was Sarah Rebecca Sauvé (the daughter of Séraphin Sauvé and Agnès Clark). Sarah was born in St-Zotique, Québec. Séraphin was the son of Francois Sauvé and Eugènie Lalonde. Agnès was the daughter of William Clark and Félicité/Félice Clement.
Sources: Genealogies of Pierre Trudeau – http://www.geni.com http://www.francogene.com http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca http://famouskin.com http://www.findagrave.com https://www.wikitree.com http://www.perche-quebec.com