Celebrities You Didn’t Know Have French Canadian Pioneer Ancestors

What do some of the world’s most recognizable celebrities and public figures have in common besides fame? They all descend from the same handful of French Canadian pioneers who helped settle New France in the early 1600s. Thanks to high birth rates and intermarriage among early colonists, millions of people, including celebrities, can trace their roots to these founding families.

The French Canadian Pioneers

So, who were these early settlers of New France, and how did their names end up in so many modern celebrity family trees? Let’s take a closer look:

Celebrity Descendants

Now, let’s take a look at where these French Canadian pioneers appear in celebrity family trees:

Taylor Swift

Many people may not know this, but Taylor Swift has some French Canadian roots. The French side of her family, through her father, dates back to Quebec’s early days. Her French Canadian pioneer ancestors include: 

• Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais and Marguerite Langlois
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Henri Pinguet and Louise Lousche

Swift isn’t just a descendant of the early French Canadians — she also has Puritans and Pilgrims in her family tree! She descends from three people who were aboard the Mayflower and signed the Mayflower Compact, including: 

• Richard Warren
• John Billington
• Stephen Hopkins

Carolyn Bessette

Carolyn Bessette, wife of John F. Kennedy Jr., had deep French Canadian roots. Through her father, she descended from several of the earliest settlers of New France, including:

• Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais and Marguerite Langlois
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Henri Pinguet and Louise Lousche

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie has several French Canadian pioneers in her family tree through her mother, Marcia Lynne Bertrand. Her ancestors include: 

• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Jacques Hertel de La Fresnière
• Robert Drouin
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Henri Pinguet and Louise Lousche

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber‘s mother, Pattie Mallette, is French Canadian. She has both Quebec and Acadian roots that go back to the beginning of French colonization in Canada. His Quebec ancestors include: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Jean Nicolet 
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Robert Drouin
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Céline Dion

Both of Céline Dion’s parents were of French Canadian descent, which means she descends from many of the founding families of New France, often through multiple lines. Here are the French pioneers in her ancestry:

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Olivier Letardif
• Robert Drouin
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Fun fact: Céline Dion is also related to Jean Grondin and Sainte Mignot, who are my direct ancestors on my mother’s side. I’ve found them seven times in her family tree!

Shania Twain

Shania Twain has French Canadian roots through her mother and father. Through her father, she also has lines that lead back to the Puritans who settled the New England area during the 1600s. The French Canadian pioneers in her tree include: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin

Madonna

Madonna has French Canadian roots through her mother, Madonna Louise Fortin. As a result, she descends from many of the Founding Families of New France, including:

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Nicolas Marsolet de Saint-Aignan
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Robert Drouin 
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Fun fact: Madonna has my direct ancestors, Jean Grondin and Saint Mignot, in her family tree twice!

Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne doesn’t just have French Canadian ancestry — she also has Puritans in her family tree, as well as some Pilgrims who arrived in Plymouth Colony in 1620 on the Mayflower! Here are her French Canadian pioneer ancestors: 

• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Olivier Letardif
• Robert Drouin 
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Henri Pinguet and Louise Lousche

As for Avril Lavigne’s Pilgrim ancestors, she descends from five people who sailed on the Mayflower, four of whom signed the Mayflower Compact. Here are her Pilgrim ancestors:

• William Brewster
• Stephen Hopkins
• William White and Susanna Jackson
• Edward Doty Sr.

Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac comes from a French Canadian family, with most of his ancestors being from Quebec and some coming from Acadia. He descends from many French Canadian pioneers, including: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Olivier Letardif
• Robert Drouin 
• Robert Giffard de Moncel
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet

Fun fact: Jack Kerouac has my direct ancestors, Jean Grondin and Saint Mignot, in his family tree twice!

Alex Trebek

Former Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek has French-Canadian roots through his mother. He has several French Canadian pioneers in his family tree, including: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet

Fun fact: Alex Trebek has my direct ancestors, Jean Grondin and Saint Mignot, in his family tree!

Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt has French Canadian roots and Puritan roots as well! His French Canadian pioneer ancestors include: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Jacques Hertel de La Fresnière
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet

Justin Theroux

Justin Theroux is French Canadian through his father. He has both Acadian and Quebec roots. Theroux descends from a few French Canadian pioneers: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Jacques Hertel de La Fresnière
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet

Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling is French Canadian through both of his parents. He has a few French Canadian pioneers in his family tree:

• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau, former Canadian Prime Minister, descends from settlers of Quebec, Acadia, and even New Netherland. Here are some of the early pioneers of Quebec found in his family tree:

• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton has some French Canadian blood through her mother and is related to these French Canadian pioneers:

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin

Although some websites report that she is related to Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont, I did not find that connection. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais is French Canadian through his father. He descends from many French Canadian pioneers, including: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Olivier Letardif
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey has French Canadian ancestry through his father. The name Carrey seems to be an anglicized version of Carré. He’s related to several French Canadian pioneers: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin

Nathan Fillion

Actor Nathan Fillion is French Canadian through his father. He’s related to many French Canadian pioneers, including: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Olivier Letardif
• Robert Drouin 
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Fun fact: Nathan Fillion has my direct ancestors, Jean Grondin and Saint Mignot, in his family five times!

Camilla Parker-Bowles

Camilla Parker Bowles has French Canadian ancestry, though her relatives eventually returned to France rather than remaining in Quebec. She’s connected to a few of Quebec’s earliest settlers:

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont
• Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette has French Canadian roots through her father, and she descends from several French Canadian pioneers, including: 

• Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet
• Guillaume Couillard and Marie Guillemette Hébert
• Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois
• Marie Hélène Desportes
• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Mignot
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin is a descendant of some of Quebec’s founding families! She’s related to a few pioneers, including: 

• Abraham Martin and Marguerite Langlois
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet
• Anne Couvent and Philippe Amiot

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Knowles has French Canadian ancestry through her mother, and she has roots in Quebec, Acadia and Louisiana. Here are the pioneers of Quebec in her family tree: 

• Robert Drouin 
• Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet

Some websites report that she is related to Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont, but I did not find that connection. 

Do you want to know more about the earliest settlers of New France? Check out New France’s Founding Families and Their Fascinating Stories.