Bellemare

Bellemare (pronEng|ˈbɛlmɑr in English or pronEng|bɛlmɑʁ in French) is a common French language surname, and one of the most common family names in Mauricie, Quebec.

History

The Bellemares share a common ancestor with the Gélinas: Étienne Gélineau, a carpenter of Jewish descent, from Saintes in France's Saintonge area (now know as Charente Maritime). Gélineau married France Huguette Robert in Saint-Eutrope's Catholic Church around 1645. He settled the Mauricie area in 1658 and worked for three years as an indentured servant for Pierre Boucher, Governor of Trois-Rivières. Gélineau had three sons: Étienne, Jean-Baptiste et Pierre. Jean-Baptiste eventually took the name Bellemare. [ [http://municipalite.yamachiche.qc.ca/toponymie/genealogie/chronique_3_famille_jl_gelinas.html Généalogie - Famille Jean-Louis Gélinas] ] [Leslie Choquette, Frenchmen into Peasants: Modernity and Tradition in the Peopling of French Canada, 1997]

Traditions

Rituals preserved by the Bellemares include the paternal blessing ( _fr. la benédiction paternelle). Until the mid-1980's and in some cases even to this day, it has been customary for the children and grandchildren of a Bellemare family unit to ask their patriarch to bless them on New Year’s Day. The practice is not exclusive to the Bellemare Family.

People

Well-known Bellemares include:

Politics

Members of the Federal Parliament

* Adélard Bellemare (1871-1933), Independent Conservative Member of Parliament for the district of Maskinongé from 1911 to 1917
* Eugène Bellemare, Liberal Member of Parliament for the district of Ottawa—Orléans from 1988 to 2004

Members of provincial legislatures

* Dionel Bellemare (1880-1950), Union Nationale Member of the Legislative Assembly in Quebec from 1936 to 1939
* Gilles Bellemare (1932-1980), Liberal Member of the National Assembly in Quebec from 1973 to 1976
* Marc Bellemare, a former Liberal Cabinet Member in Quebec
* Maurice Bellemare (1912-1989), Union Nationale Cabinet Member in Quebec

Mayors and council members

* Alain Bellemare, City Councillor from 1999 to 2005 and Mayor since 2005 in Saint-Paul, near Joliette, Lanaudière
* Gilles Bellemare, Mayor of Saint-Boniface, Mauricie since 1996
* Ginette Bellemare, City Councillor for the District of Rigaud in Trois-Rivières
* Jules Bellemare, Mayor of Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Mauricie from 1977 to 1985
* Louise A. Bellemare, Mayor of Yamachiche, Mauricie from 1991 to 1999
* Michel Bellemare, City Councillor for the District of Beacon Hill-Cyrville in Ottawa

ports

* Annie Bellemare, figure skater
* Thomas Bellemare, defense hockey player

Others

* Diane Bellemare, Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist of the "Conseil du patronat du Québec"
* Edward Ritchie Bellemare, Canadian diplomat
* Gilles Bellemare, Director of the "Trois-Rivières Symphony Orchestra" from 1978 to 2005
* Pierre Bellemare, French writer and radio host
* Serge Bellemare, environmental activist and supporter of the Green Party

Fictional character

Comedian Jean-Louis Millette performed the role of Oscar Bellemare, a funeral director, in TV sitcom "Symphorien" from 1970 to 1977.

Businesses

A number of family enterprises are owned by Bellemare in the Mauricie area, the most important of whom is transportation and construction business "Groupe Thomas Bellemare Ltée" in Yamachiche.

Places and landmarks

Bellemare is the name of many streets in the Mauricie area in Quebec, including:

* Rue Bellemare, Cap-de-la-Madeleine
* Rue Bellemare, Charette
* Rue Bellemare, Louiseville
* Rue Bellemare, Saint-Étienne-des-Grès
* Rue Bellemare, Trois-Rivières-Ouest
* Rue Bellemare, Yamachiche

"Maison Bellemare" is a concert hall located at 2760, rue Principale, Saint-Jean-des-Piles.

Footnotes