Pierre Tremblay – Ancestor of All Tremblays in North America

Tremblay is one of the most common French Canadian surnames in Quebec, and it can be traced back to a single French ancestor — Pierre Tremblay. He wasn’t among the earliest arrivals in New France; however, he still came relatively early and made a lasting mark on Canada. If you’re a descendant of the Tremblay family, follow along as I explore his life in Quebec and his enduring legacy in North America.

Pierre Tremblay’s Early Life

Pierre Tremblay was born around 1626 in Randonnai, a village in the Perche region of France. His parents were Philibert Tremblay and Jeanne Coignet. He had two younger siblings: Guillaume Tremblay and Marguerite Tremblay. In Randonnai, Pierre’s family owned and operated a large forge and held land under the barony of Conturbis, which the Cistercian monks oversaw.

Pierre’s family tree extends back to Gervais Tremblay. He was born around 1425 in Perche, France, and died before 1490. He was a blacksmith who received official permission from the monks of the Abbey of La Trappe to build a forge on their land in the fief of Chesnay. In exchange, he agreed to pay an annual rent and contribute gold to support the abbey’s church. It looks like Gervais was the one who originally established the forge that Pierre’s family continued to operate nearly two centuries later.

Arriving in New France

On April 9, 1647, Pierre Tremblay accepted a three-year contract to work in New France for an annual wage of 75 livres. The contract was with Noël Juchereau, an early pioneer of New France and a member of the Company of One Hundred Associates. Tremlaby set sail for Canada on June 6, 1647, aboard the ship La Marguerite, and arrived on August 6, 1647.

After arriving in New France, Pierre spent about 10 years building a foundation for his home in Quebec. He also worked on the docks and assisted in managing goods at Juchereau’s trading stores. 

Marriage and Family

Pierre Tremblay married Ozanne Achon, a member of the filles à marier, on October 2, 1657, in Notre-Dame de Québec. Gabriel de Queylus officiated, and Léonard Pilote, the three Gravel brothers, Marguerite Gagnon, wife of Éloi Tavernier, and Macé Gravel were also present.

Pierre and Ozanne had 12 children, but only 10 survived to adulthood and married. Their children were: Marie Magdelaine Tremblay, Anonyme Tremblay, Pierre Tremblay, Michel Tremblay, Jacques Tremblay, Marguerite Tremblay, Louis Tremblay, Louise Tremblay, Jeanne Tremblay, Marie-Anne Tremblay, Jean Tremblay and Marie Dorothée Tremblay. 

Life in Quebec

Pierre Tremblay eventually left Quebec City and settled with his family in the seigneurie of Beaupré, where he was granted a river lot in L’Ange-Gardien. As land in Côte-de-Beaupré became scarce, he sought new opportunities farther up the St. Lawrence. In 1679, he moved his family to Baie-Saint-Paul to manage farmland and livestock for Monseigneur de Laval.

By 1684, at the time of their son Jean’s death, the family was living in Baie-Saint-Paul. During this time, he became an executive for the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. On October 13, 1685, Pierre received a land grant from the Seminary of Quebec. This land was located in what is now Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, near Baie-Saint-Paul. The concession included 9 arpents of river frontage and one league in depth. Pierre built a mill on this land.

Death and Legacy

The exact date of Pierre Tremblay is unknown. It is suspected that he died between April 14, 1687, and November 6, 1689. However, it’s likely that he died sometime in 1688 or early 1689. Here is the supporting evidence: 

• On April 14, 1687, his daughter Marguerite married Jean Savar; Pierre was not listed as deceased in the marriage record. 
• On January 14, 1688, his daughter Marie Anne was named godmother to Nicolas Roussin in L’Ange-Gardien. She was recorded as “Marie Anne Tremblé, daughter of Pierre Tremblé,” with no mention that he was deceased.
• On November 6, 1689, at the marriage of his daughter Louise to Ignace Gagnier, Pierre was listed as deceased.

There was reportedly a severe epidemic in 1688 that hit Forts Niagara and Cataraqui and then spread to the whole colony. Pierre might have been a victim of this epidemic. 

As of 1729, Pierre Tremblay had 333 descendants. Today, more than 100,000 people in North America can trace their lineage back to him.

While the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec has the largest number of Tremblays (more than 25,000 according to the 1989 census), the highest concentration is found in Charlevoix. In Baie-Saint-Paul, Tremblays make up 13% of the population, and in the nearby village of Les Éboulements, one in three residents bears the name.

Over half of North America’s Tremblays live in Canada, including around 15,000 in the Quebec City region and 25,000 in the Montreal area.

My Connection to Pierre Tremblay

I have a couple of connections to Pierre Tremblay through my mother, but I don’t think I’ve uncovered all of them yet. Some of Pierre’s descendants did not stay in Quebec and went on to join the French settlers in the Detroit/Windsor area — and those are my ancestors. Here are my connections thus far: 

First Lineage

1. Pierre Tremblay (abt. 1626 – bef. 1689) and Ozanne Achon (1633 – 1707)
2. Michel Tremblay (1662 – 1727) and Geneviève Bouchard (1672 – 1754)
3. Antoine Tremblay (1698 – 1758) and Marie Anne Pilote (1701 – 1744)
4. Marie Marguerite Tremblay (1725 – 1768) and Guillaume LaForest (1725 – abt. 1782)
5. Archange Laforest (1766 – 1797) and Simon Drouillard (abt. 1762 – aft. 1810) 
6. Marguerite Drouillard (1790 – aft. 1832) and Jacques Larchevêque (1777 – aft. 1832)
7. Marie Marguerite Larche (1821 – 1902) and Jean Metivier (1807 – 1883)
8. Elizabeth Metivier (1860 – 1931) and Charles Alexander Grondin (1853 – 1922) 
9. Walter Grondin (1886 – 1973) and Pearl Leafy Bondy (1885 – 1966)
10. Walter Grondin (1910 – 1998) and Mary Catherine Higgins (1908 – 1983)
11. Martha Grondin (Born 1950) and Gary Willis (Born 1946) – my parents

Second Lineage

1. Pierre Tremblay (abt. 1626 – bef. 1689) and Ozanne Achon (1633 – 1707)
2. Michel Tremblay (1662 – 1727) and Geneviève Bouchard (1672 – 1754)
3. Pierre Tremblay (1708 – 1763) and Marie Madeleine Simard (1713 – abt. 1750)
4. Marie Therese Tremblay (1734 – 1800) and Joseph Seguin dit Laderoute (1717 – 1795)
5. Mary Teresa Seguin dit Laderoute (1752 – 1823) and Jean Baptiste Chauvin (1740 – abt. 1804)
6. Marie Josephte Chauvin (1777) and Antoine Lesperance (1773 – abt. 1860)
7. Elisabeth Lesperance (1800 – 1880) and Joseph Renaud (1800) 
8. Jean Baptiste Renaud (1828) and Zoé Hersilie Jubenville (1828 – 1870)
9. Antoine Solomon Renaud (1853 – 1926) and Catherine Barron (1854 – 1939) 
10. Mary Zoé Renaud (1878 – 1935) and Abraham Joseph Higgins (1875 – 1950) 
11. Mary Catherine Higgins (1908 – 1983) and Walter Grondin (1910 – 1998)
12. Martha Grondin (Born 1950) and Gary Willis (Born 1946) – my parents

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