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Who were the Huguenots & Walloons?

Huguenots and Walloons were Protestants of the Reformation period (generally 16th & 17th centuries). They were adherents of the Reformed Church established by John Calvin in the 1550's. During some periods, they were tolerated by their Catholic governments and granted certain freedoms. At other times, however, they suffered intolerance and persecution, which sometimes lead to torture and even death.

As a result, many thousands fled their homelands in an effort to find safe haven in countries such as Prussia, the German Palatinate, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, England, Ireland, the French West Indies and British North America. It is estimated, for example, that 250,000 fled to England between 1550 (when the first Huguenot church was established in London) and 1789. By 1600, some sources estimate that more than 200,000 Protestants had fled France, although with each improvement in the political climate in their homeland, some returned. However, the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 resulted in huge numbers of Protestants leaving France. Estimates range as high as one million, with up to one million more remaining in France, some of whom reverted to Catholicism.

For the purposes of this list, no distinction is made between Huguenots and Walloons in genealogical research. Although there were some differences between the two groups, both were the same in that they were Calvinist Protestants who fled their homelands because of intolerance and persecution.

~ Huguenots is a general term we use today for those who were affiliated with the Protestant Reformation in France. The origin of the word Huguenot is unclear and may have been a derogatory label several hundred years ago. Today, it is a term of respect. French Protestants would probably have referred to themselves reformées (reformers). The Calvinist movement had reached northern France by c1545, spreading across Belgium and into the Netherlands before 1560.

In research documents, the term refugees is sometimes applied to Huguenots. In general, this refers to those who left France after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Those who remained in France after 1700 were generally in the large area extending southeast from La Rochelle, through Bordeaux, Montauban and Nimes, and northwards towards Saint Etienne.

~ Walloons were Protestants of Flanders: that is, the border area between northern France and southern Belgium (also called southern Netherlands). Their language was a dialect of French. During the1540's, they were briefly affiliated with the French Protestants but this alliance did not last long, due to differences in customs and language.

Walloons were among the earliest and initially dominant group of refugees. For example, they first arrived in England in the mid-1500's. The French Church at Canterbury in Kent was, and remains to this day, a Walloon Church and has a pastor of Belgian origin. There were also Walloon churches established in Norwich, Southampton and London. In the latter case, the Walloon Church was almost always called the French Church (Threadneedle Street).

Note: There are Walloons in present-day Belgium who are French-speaking and predominantly Catholic. We must distinguish between these Walloons and those who were Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. The two are not the same. Click here for further information on Walloons in modern Belgium.

Links to further information about Huguenots and Walloons:

~ http://olivetreegenealogy.com/hug/overview.shtml: Huguenots and Walloons article, part of The Olive Tree Genealogy website.

~ http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/4040/hist-hug.htm: Who Were the Huguenots? Part of the Viljoen Family website. Includes a chronology and description of historical events concerning Huguenots.

~ http://huguenot.netnation.com/general/huguenot.htm: Who were the Huguenots? Historical overview. Part of The National Huguenot Society (of the U.S.) web site.

For more on Huguenot history, click on: Huguenot History & Timeline.

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