On the road to the French ancestors of Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac was born on March 12, 1922 in Lowell (MA). He is the third son of French Canadian parents, Joseph Alcide Leon Kirouack (also known as Leo-Alcide Keroack) and Gabrielle-Ange Levesque. There is some confusion surrounding his name, partly because of variations on the spelling of Kerouac, and because of Kerouac's own statement of his name as Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac.

His reason for that statement seems to be linked to an old family legend that the Kerouacs had descended from Baron François Louis Alexandre Lebris de Kerouac. Kerouac's baptism certificate lists his name simply as Jean Louis Kirouac, and this is the most common spelling of the name in Quebec. Research has shown that Kerouac's roots were indeed in Brittany (France), and he was descended from a middle-class merchant colonist, Urbain-François Le Bihan, Sieur de Kervoac, whose sons married French Canadians.

Urbain-François Le Bihan de Kervoach, the unique ancestor of the Kirouacs in New France

The paternal ancestor of Jack Kerouac is Urbain-François Le Bihan de Kervoach, son of a royal notary, born in Huelgoat in Brittany (France). Unique ancestor of the Kirouac in New France, he identified himself and signed Maurice-Louis-Alexandre Le Bris de Kervoach, at his marriage to Louise Bernier, October 22, 1732, in Cap-Saint-Ignace, Quebec. According to the association of Kirouac family, it was the discovery in Quebec of archival documents signed by these two names that resolved the enigma. New genealogical research has allowed Patricia Dagier to explain the reasons for the change of patronymic of the ancestor of Jack Kerouac and to put an end to the confusion that surrounded this question. They also explained the fact that Jack Kerouac, born and baptized "Jean-Louis Kirouac", had himself opted for a change of name by declaring to be called "Le Bris de Kerouac". This information, hitherto ignored by most of his biographers, sheds new light on the writer and part of his work and forms the framework of the biography Jack Kerouac, Breton d'Amerique, by Patricia Dagier and Herve Quemener (Le telegramme, March 2009).

Jack Kerouac talks about his French-Canadian parents and his childhood

Interview of Jack Kerouac by Fernand Seguin on Radio-Canada Le Sel de la semaine
March 7, 1967

Jack Kerouac, a cousin of Celine Dion, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Justin Trudeau, Hillary Clinton, Ryan Gosling, Angelina Jolie and Camilla, Queen of the United Kingdom…

perche-quebec.com has discovered that Jack Kerouac has many family ties with other celebrities in music (Celine Dion, Madonna, Justin Bieber), politics (Hillary Clinton, Justin Trudeau), the film industry (Ryan Gosling, Angelina Jolie) and royalty (Camilla, Queen of the United Kingdom)!

perche-quebec.com a decouvert pas moins de :
• 434 family links with Celine Dion
• 425 family links with Isabelle Boulay
• 421 family links with Justin Bieber
• 332 family links with Fabienne Thibeault
• 309 family links with Jean Paul Lemieux
• 270 family links with Marc Ouellet
• 238 family links with Andre Gagnon
• 213 family links with Xavier Dolan
• 208 family links with Madonna
• 194 family links with Diane Tell
• 180 family links with Jim Carrey
• 159 family links with Diane Dufresne
• 155 family links with Angelina Jolie
• 117 family links with Ryan Gosling
• 82 family links with Alanis Morissette
• 68 family links with Lynda Lemay
• 56 family links with Justin Trudeau
• 30 family links with Hillary Clinton
• 6 family links with Camilla, Queen of the United Kingdom

All those celebrities have in common French-Canadian pioneers, and in particular Percheron pioneers.

For instance, the Percheron pioneer Zacharie Cloutier, an ancestor of most of the celebrities mentioned before, who was born in Mortagne-au-Perche.

As strange as it may seem, there is nothing exceptional about those family ties. As the Percheron pioneers were among the very first French settlers to arrive in what was then known as New France, most of North Americans with French-Canadian ancestry have Percheron blood and are more or less related.

French-Canadian ancestry of Jack Kerouac

perche-quebec.com has explored the French-Canadian ancestry of Jack Kerouac. See details here.

Jack Kerouac's matrilineal ancestry

Matrilineal ancestry

Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. A matriline is a line of descent from a female ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are mothers – in other words, a "mother line". It is also sometimes known as the enatic, uterine or umbilical line. This matrilineal descent pattern is in contrast to the more common pattern of patrilineal descent from which a family name is usually derived. Such a mother line is the most certain line in a family tree; indeed, if a man has to recognize a child as his own at birth, it is more difficult for a woman to hide her pregnancy, although there are existing exceptions.

The examination of Jack Kerouac's matrilineal ancestry leads us directly in Perche towards the pioneer Mathurine Robin, born in Mortagne-au-Perche at the end of the XVIth century, wife of Jean Guyon, the direct paternal ancestor of Celine Dion!

ROBIN Mathurine Marie (~ end 16th Mortagne-au-Perche - 1662 Beauport)
⚭ GUYON Jean (1592 Tourouvre - 1663 Beauport)
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GUYON Barbe Marie (1617 Mortagne-au-Perche - 1700 Saint-Pierre-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans)
⚭ PARADIS Pierre (1604 Mortagne-au-Perche - 1675 Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans)
|
PARADIS Marie (~1639 Mortagne-au-Perche - 1708 Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans)
⚭ BAUCHER Guillaume Morency (1630-1687)
|
BAUCHER Louise
⚭ ASSELIN Pierre (~1658-1694)
|
ASSELIN Marie Louise (1690-)
⚭ RIOUX Nicolas (~1680-1756)
|
RIOUX Catherine (1713-)
⚭ LEPAGE Paul (1709-)
|
LEPAGE Veronique Marie (1740-)
⚭ BONENFANT Jean Baptiste Louis (1746-)
|
BONENFANT Isabelle (1771-1840)
⚭ GAGNON Isodore (1762-)
|
GAGNON Elisabeth (1789-)
⚭ DUBÉ Pierre (1777-)
|
DUBE Marcelline (1820-1892)
⚭ HUDON Damase (1822-1901)
|
BEAULIEU HUDON Marie (~1854-)
⚭ JEAN François-Xavier (1850-1902)
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JEAN Josephine (1875-1896)
⚭ LEVESQUE Louis (-1911)
|
LEVESQUE Marie Adeline Gabrielle (1895-1972)
⚭ KIROUACK Joseph Alcide Leon (1889-1946)
|
KIROUAC Jean Louis
a.k.a. KEROUAC Jack (1922-1969)
Jack Kerouac, from Perche to the US roads

Jack Kerouac, from Perche to the US roads

The Percheron ancestors of Jack Kerouac

Even if his direct ancestor Urbain-François Le Bihan de Kervoach is from Brittany, Jack Kerouac has several ancestors whose the origin is Perche. All immigrated in the 17th century.

Emigrants	Year of baptism	Place of baptism (or birth)	Year of migration	Year of death	Place of death
Aloignon Pierre Denis	1621*	Moussonvilliers	1647	1690	Notre-Dame-de-Quebec
Belanger François	1612*	France	1634	1687*	Quebec
Boucher Gaspard	1599*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634*	-	Canada
Boucher Jean Galeran	1633	Saint-Langis-les-Mortagne	1634	1714	Riviere-Ouelle
Boucher Marie Marguerite	1631	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1666<>1669	Quebec
Boucher Marin	1587*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1671	Chateau-Richer
Boulay Robert	1630*	Perche	1662	1707	Montmagny
Cloutier Anne	1626	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1648	Quebec
Cloutier Charles	1629	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1709	Quebec
Cloutier Jean	1620	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1690	Quebec
Cloutier Louise Marie	1632	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1709	Quebec
Cloutier Zacharie	1590*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1677	Chateau-Richer
Cloutier Zacharie	1617	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1708	Chateau-Richer
Cote Jean^[1]	end 16th - early 17th	-	1635*	1661	Quebec
Cordeau Jean dit Deslauriers	1635*	Dangeau	1659*	-	Canada
Drouin Robert	1607	Le Pin-la-Garenne	1634*	1685	Chateau-Richer
Dupont Xainte	1595*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1680	Chateau-Richer
Fortin Julien	1621	Notre-Dame-de-Vair	1650	1690*	Canada
Fournier Guillaume	1620*	Coulimer or Coulmer^[2]	1651*	1699	Montmagny
Gagnon Jean	1610	Tourouvre	1640*	1670	Chateau-Richer
Gagnon Marguerite	1598	Tourouvre	1643*	1677	Chateau-Richer
Gagnon Pierre	1612	La Ventrouze	1640*	1699	Chateau-Richer
Gagnon Robert	1628	La Ventrouze	1655*	1703	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Gaulin François	1630	Saint-Martin-du-Vieux-Belleme	1652*	1675	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Goulet Louise	1628	La Poterie-au-Perche	1669*	1699	L'Ange-Gardien
Grenier Françoise	-	Perche	1662	1709	Montmagny
Guimond Louis	1st half 17th	Champs	1647	1661	Canada
Guyon Barbe Marie	1617	Mortagne-au-Perche	1652*	1700	Saint-Pierre-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Guyon Claude	1629	Mortagne-au-Perche	1636*	1694	Quebec
Guyon Jean	1592	Tourouvre	1634	1663	Beauport
Guyon Jean	1619	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1694	Chateau-Richer
Guyon Marie	1624	Mortagne-au-Perche	1636*	1696	Cap-Saint-Ignace
Langlois Noel	1606	Saint-Leonard-des-Parcs	1634*	1684	Beauport
Lemaire Nicole	1595	Mamers	1635*	-	Trois-Rivieres
Lereau Simon	1624	Ige	1655*	1670*	Quebec
Letartre Rene	1626	Charencey	1669*	1699	L'Ange-Gardien
Mabille Michelle	1592	Tourouvre	1641	1665	Quebec
Maheu Pierre, sieur des Hazards	1630	Mortagne-au-Perche	1651	1717	Beauport
Mallet Perrine	1604*	Courgeon or Courgeout	1634	1687	Chateau-Richer
Paradis Marie	1639*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1652*	1708	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Paradis Pierre	1604	Mortagne-au-Perche	1652*	1675	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Pelletier Guillaume dit Globoteur	end 16th	Bresolettes	1641	1657	Beauport
Pelletier Jean	1627	Tourouvre	1641	1698	La Pocatiere
Robin Mathurine	end 16th	Mortagne-au-Perche	1636*	1662	Beauport
Rocheron Gervais	1634	Saint-Cosme-de-Vair	1657*	1705	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Rocheron Marie	1639	Saint-Cosme-de-Vair	1657*	1687	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Roger Renee	-	La Ventrouze	1640*	-	Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre
Roussin Françoise	1631	Tourouvre	1651	1691	Quebec
Roussin Jean	1597	Tourouvre	1650	1682	L'Ange-Gardien
Tavernier Eloi^[3]	end 16th / early 17th	Perche	1643*	-	-
Tavernier Marie dite Soeur Sainte-Monique	1631	Randonnai	1643*	1700	Quebec

Emigrants	Year of baptism	Place of baptism (or birth)	Year of migration	Year of death	Place of death
Aloignon Pierre Denis	1621*	Moussonvilliers	1647	1690	Notre-Dame-de-Quebec
Belanger François	1612*	France	1634	1687*	Quebec
Boucher Gaspard	1599*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634*	-	Canada
Boucher Jean Galeran	1633	Saint-Langis-les-Mortagne	1634	1714	Riviere-Ouelle
Boucher Marie Marguerite	1631	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1666<>1669	Quebec
Boucher Marin	1587*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1671	Chateau-Richer
Boulay Robert	1630*	Perche	1662	1707	Montmagny
Cloutier Anne	1626	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1648	Quebec
Cloutier Charles	1629	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1709	Quebec
Cloutier Jean	1620	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1690	Quebec
Cloutier Louise Marie	1632	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1709	Quebec
Cloutier Zacharie	1590*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1677	Chateau-Richer
Cloutier Zacharie	1617	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1708	Chateau-Richer
Cote Jean^[1]	end 16th - early 17th	-	1635*	1661	Quebec
Cordeau Jean dit Deslauriers	1635*	Dangeau	1659*	-	Canada
Drouin Robert	1607	Le Pin-la-Garenne	1634*	1685	Chateau-Richer
Dupont Xainte	1595*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1635*	1680	Chateau-Richer
Fortin Julien	1621	Notre-Dame-de-Vair	1650	1690*	Canada
Fournier Guillaume	1620*	Coulimer or Coulmer^[2]	1651*	1699	Montmagny
Gagnon Jean	1610	Tourouvre	1640*	1670	Chateau-Richer
Gagnon Marguerite	1598	Tourouvre	1643*	1677	Chateau-Richer
Gagnon Pierre	1612	La Ventrouze	1640*	1699	Chateau-Richer
Gagnon Robert	1628	La Ventrouze	1655*	1703	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Gaulin François	1630	Saint-Martin-du-Vieux-Belleme	1652*	1675	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Goulet Louise	1628	La Poterie-au-Perche	1669*	1699	L'Ange-Gardien
Grenier Françoise	-	Perche	1662	1709	Montmagny
Guimond Louis	1st half 17th	Champs	1647	1661	Canada
Guyon Barbe Marie	1617	Mortagne-au-Perche	1652*	1700	Saint-Pierre-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Guyon Claude	1629	Mortagne-au-Perche	1636*	1694	Quebec
Guyon Jean	1592	Tourouvre	1634	1663	Beauport
Guyon Jean	1619	Mortagne-au-Perche	1634	1694	Chateau-Richer
Guyon Marie	1624	Mortagne-au-Perche	1636*	1696	Cap-Saint-Ignace
Langlois Noel	1606	Saint-Leonard-des-Parcs	1634*	1684	Beauport
Lemaire Nicole	1595	Mamers	1635*	-	Trois-Rivieres
Lereau Simon	1624	Ige	1655*	1670*	Quebec
Letartre Rene	1626	Charencey	1669*	1699	L'Ange-Gardien
Mabille Michelle	1592	Tourouvre	1641	1665	Quebec
Maheu Pierre, sieur des Hazards	1630	Mortagne-au-Perche	1651	1717	Beauport
Mallet Perrine	1604*	Courgeon or Courgeout	1634	1687	Chateau-Richer
Paradis Marie	1639*	Mortagne-au-Perche	1652*	1708	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Paradis Pierre	1604	Mortagne-au-Perche	1652*	1675	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Pelletier Guillaume dit Globoteur	end 16th	Bresolettes	1641	1657	Beauport
Pelletier Jean	1627	Tourouvre	1641	1698	La Pocatiere
Robin Mathurine	end 16th	Mortagne-au-Perche	1636*	1662	Beauport
Rocheron Gervais	1634	Saint-Cosme-de-Vair	1657*	1705	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Rocheron Marie	1639	Saint-Cosme-de-Vair	1657*	1687	Sainte-Famille-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Roger Renee	-	La Ventrouze	1640*	-	Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre
Roussin Françoise	1631	Tourouvre	1651	1691	Quebec
Roussin Jean	1597	Tourouvre	1650	1682	L'Ange-Gardien
Tavernier Eloi^[3]	end 16th / early 17th	Perche	1643*	-	-
Tavernier Marie dite Soeur Sainte-Monique	1631	Randonnai	1643*	1700	Quebec

notes
[*] Estimated year
[1] The place of origin is not known. To some, Jean Cote was originated from Mortagne-au-Perche but there is no documented evidence.
[2] Guillaume Fournier may be originated from Coulimer or Coulmer, both villages located in Orne (France). Coulimer is part of Perche but not Coulmer. The surmane Fournier is still used in Coulimer today but not in Coulmer.
[3] There is no documented evidence that Eloi Tavernier moved to Canada. According to Mrs. Montagne, he attended the wedding of his daughter Marguerite on May 1, 1644 in Quebec, but he is not mentioned in the marriage record (PRDH - Programme de recherche en démographie historique. Généalogie canadienne-française du Québec, s. d.-c).

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