The+French+Huegonots+in+South+Africa

The Huguenots are a race of white people in South Africa. They are descendants of the French Huguenots who come from France. Many came in the 17th century and settled in the Cape because of job opportunities from the Dutch East India Trading Company. The company persuaded the Huguenots to travel there for religion and work purposes. And soon, the French Huguenots were taken into South African culture with them being ⅙ of the population.

The Huguenots were originally French Protestants. They were deeply involved in the religious and political formations at the time; and were honest, caring people. As many arrived in South Africa, they settled on farms and began a new life. The trading company had offered them a new start and they were eager to begin. Within two generations of the Huguenots in South Africa, their original language, French, disappeared.

Today the Huguenot heritage still impacts Southern Africa. Twenty-four percent of South African’s have Huguenot blood in them and thousands of the population still carry out their ancestors names. The Huguenots definitely made an impact on South Africa’s agriculture and future.