Master Surname Index



Louis Riel

Ancestry of
Louis Riel

Leader of the North West Rebellion


Who was Louis Riel?

Louis Riel is probably one of the most controversial figures in Canadian history, and depending on your point of view, he is often considered either a traitor or a patriot.. He was a political leader of the Métis people in Canada and is often referred to as the founder of Manitoba. After leading a rebellion against the Canadian government in 1885, Louis Riel was hanged for treason in what is probably the most famous trial in Canada.

The Métis are a mixed race group of people who descend from First Nation people and European settlers, and are recognized as one of Canada’s aboriginal peoples. Louis Riel was a Francophone whose paternal grandfather was a voyageur who married a French-Chipewyan Métis.

In 1885, Louis Riel led an armed uprising of the Métis people against the Canadian government in what became known as the North-West Rebellion. They believed the Canadian government had failed to protect many of their rights. Although the Métis initially won a few of the early battles, they eventually lost the war at the Battle of Batoche. A few day later, Louis Riel surrender to the authorities and was tried and hanged for treason.

Louis Riel’s death had lasting political ramifications and helped to galvanize French-Canadian nationalistic opposition to the Canadian government that continues even to this day.

Famous Kin

Louis Riel’s famous kin include the 15th Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, and his son Justin Trudeau, the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada. He also has a number of celebrities in his family tree including singer and songwriter Madonna, actor Chris Pratt, Dancing with the Stars’ Julianne and Derek Hough, actor Dax Shepard, singer and songwriter Justin Bieber, and actors Mark and Donnie Wahlberg.


Some of the most recently added connections of famous kin for Louis Riel

sprite

Madonna

Singer and Songwriter

8th cousin 2 times removed
via Nicolas Pelletier

sprite

Angelina Jolie

Movie Actress

6th cousin 3 times removed
via Francois Coutu

sprite

Angelina Jolie

Movie Actress

8th cousin 3 times removed
via Marin Boucher

sprite

Angelina Jolie

Movie Actress

6th cousin 5 times removed
via Anne Ledet

sprite

Angelina Jolie

Movie Actress

8th cousin 3 times removed
via Nicolas Pelletier

sprite

John Dye

TV and Movie Actor - “Touched by an Angel”

6th cousin 3 times removed
via Jean Houde

sprite

Jack Kerouac

American Novelist and Poet

6th cousin 3 times removed
via Anne Ledet

sprite

Jack Kerouac

American Novelist and Poet

8th cousin 1 time removed
via Marin Boucher

sprite

Jane Krakowski

TV and Movie Actress

6th cousin 3 times removed
via Pierre Charron-Ducharme

sprite

Shemar Moore

TV and Movie Actor

5th cousin 3 times removed
via Pierre Hénault-Canada

sprite

Shemar Moore

TV and Movie Actor

4th cousin 3 times removed
via Nicolas Sylvestre-Champagne

sprite

Shemar Moore

TV and Movie Actor

8th cousin 1 time removed
via Nicolas Pelletier

sprite

Shemar Moore

TV and Movie Actor

6th cousin 2 times removed
via Francois Coutu

sprite

Shemar Moore

TV and Movie Actor

6th cousin 3 times removed
via Jean Houde

sprite

Nathan Fillion

TV and Movie Actor

5th cousin 5 times removed
via Nicolas Sylvestre-Champagne

sprite

Nathan Fillion

TV and Movie Actor

6th cousin 4 times removed
via Francois Dubois-Lafrance

sprite

Nathan Fillion

TV and Movie Actor

7th cousin 3 times removed
via Louis Houde

sprite

Jim Carrey

TV & Movie Actor

8th cousin 4 times removed
via Nicolas Pelletier

sprite

Jim Carrey

TV & Movie Actor

6th cousin 4 times removed
via Pierre Charron-Ducharme

sprite

Dax Shepard

TV and Movie Actor

8th cousin 4 times removed
via Nicolas Pelletier

sprite

Melissa Benoist

TV Actress

8th cousin 4 times removed
via Nicolas Pelletier

sprite

Pierre Trudeau

15th Prime Minister of Canada

5th cousin 2 times removed
via Jean-Baptiste Riel-Lirlande

sprite

Madonna

Singer and Songwriter

8th cousin 2 times removed
via Marin Boucher

sprite

Justin Bieber

Singer and Songwriter

7th cousin 5 times removed
via Louis Houde

sprite

Mark Wahlberg

Movie Actor

6th cousin 4 times removed
via Francois Dubois-Lafrance

View entire list of famous kin for Louis Riel

Please note: The ancestor reports on this website have been compiled from thousands of different sources, many over 100 years old. These sources are attached to each ancestor so that you can personally judge their reliability. As with any good genealogical research, if you discover a link to your own family tree, consider it a starting point for further research. It is always preferable to locate primary records where possible. FamousKin.com cannot and does not guarantee the accuracy and reliability of these sources.