French Australian
  |
| French Australians : Richie Benaud • Emilie de Ravin |
| Total population |
|---|
| French 98,332 (by ancestry, 2006) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Brisbane |
| Languages |
| Religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
French Australians (French: Franco-Australiens) are residents of Australia who are of French ancestry.
Contents |
Demography[edit]
According to the 2006 Australian census, 98,332 Australians (or 0.47% of the population) claim French ancestry, either alone or with another ancestry.[1] Of these, 19,186 were born in France[2] and 12,735 of them had since acquired Australian citizenship.[3]
8,281 (or 43%) of the residents born in France had arrived in Australia in 1979 or earlier.[3]
History[edit]
France's connection with Australia began early, with Bruni d'Entrecasteaux, Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec, Louis Antoine de Bougainville, Jules Dumont d'Urville, Nicolas Baudin, François Péron and Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne being some of the first European explorers to reach the continent. Furthermore, British-born navigator Tobias Furneaux was of French Huguenot ancestry. Today, many prominent places in Australia bear the names of these explorers.
Many Australians with French ancestry are descended from Huguenot refugees. Some of the earliest Huguenots to arrive in Australia held prominent positions in English society, notably Jane Franklin and Charles La Trobe.
Others who came later were from poorer Huguenot families. They migrated to Australia from England in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to escape the poverty in the East End of London, notably in the Huguenot enclaves of Spitalfields and Bethnal Green. Their impoverishment had been brought about by the impact of the Industrial Revolution, which caused the collapse of the Huguenot-dominated silk-weaving industry.
The largest post-war increase in French migration to Australia came during the 1960s and 1970s; unlike many other European countries, France did not establish a migration scheme in the immediate post-war period due to chronic underemployment, despite Australian seeing the French as some of the most desirable immigrants to obtain during that era [1].
Since that time, there has only been a small flow of French immigrants to Australia. Many people in the French-Australian community now originate from French overseas territories, especially New Caledonia.
Culture[edit]
Today, the Brisbane French Festival, held over the Bastille Day weekend, is Australia's biggest French festival [2]. Participants include both French-born Australians and Australians of more distant French ancestry.
Alliance Française has an active presence in most Australian cities, teaching the French language, holding cultural events such as Beaujolais Nouveau festivals and sponsoring the nation's annual French film festival [3]. SBS has also done much to increase the popularity of French cinema and culture with Australian audiences, though Hollywood still predominates with mainstream audiences. As well as providing a language service for French immigrants, SBS has allowed Australians of French ancestry to rediscover their cultural heritage.
Some Australians of French Huguenot descent have completely assimilated into the country's predominantly Anglo-Saxon culture but most still quietly but tenaciously hold onto as many aspects as they can of their French heritage and identify themselves very much as French Australians, even hundreds of years after being exiled. The Huguenot Society of Australia does much to encourage Australian Huguenots to embrace their cultural heritage and provides genealogical research services [4].
French cuisine has had an impact on the nation with French-inspired cafes, restaurants and boulangeries to be found in most major cities [5]. French immigrant chefs, particularly those who appear on television, have done much to promote French cooking and food philosophy, including a growing understanding of the concept of terroir.
The French Benevolent Society has an active presence in the nation, providing a support network for elderly and incapacitated French Australians [6].
Most of the French-born people in Australia are Roman Catholics and the Reformed Church of France (L’Église Réformée de France) is yet to establish a presence in the country, despite the vibrant group of Australians of Huguenot descent. However, Taizé-style services are becoming increasingly popular with both Roman Catholics and Protestants from a variety of denominations. Taizé provides one of the key grassroots ecumenical movements in the nation.
Notable French Australians[edit]
| Name | Born | Notable for | Connection with Australia | Connection with France |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angry Anderson | 1947 | Rock singer | Born in Australia | Franco-Mauritian ancestry |
| Ted Baillieu | 1953 | Politician (Premier of Victoria) | Born in Australia | French-Belgian ancestry |
| Jason Baitieri | 1989 | Rugby footballer | Lives in Australia | Born in France |
| Richie Benaud | 1930 | Captain of the Australian cricket team and sports commentator | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Charles Bonney | 1813 | Pioneer and politician | Emigrated to Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Joseph Bosisto | 1827 | Chemist and politician | Emigrated to Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Richard Boyer | 1891 | Broadcaster, Chief of the ABC | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Guillaume Brahimi | 1967 | Chef | Lives in Australia | Born in France |
| Louis Buvelot | 1814 | Artist | Emigrated to Australia | Swiss-French |
| Marie Byles | 1900 | Solicitor and environmentalist | Emigrated to Australia from England | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Roy Cazaly | 1893 | Australian Rules footballer | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Harold Cazneaux | 1878 | Photographer | Emigrated to Australia from New Zealand | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Robert Champion de Crespigny | 1950 | Entrepreneur | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Charles Chauvel | 1897 | Filmmaker | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Christabel Chamarette | 1948 | Senator (Australian Greens) | Emigrated to Australia from India | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Greg Combet | 1958 | Politician | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| Minard Fannie Crommelin | 1881 | Environmentalist | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Celeste de Chabrillan | 1824 | Writer, prostitute and wife of Consul | Lived in Australia | Born in France |
| Russell Dumas | 1887 | Engineer | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Casey Dumont | 1992 | Female footballer | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| Edward Duyker | 1955 | Historian | Born in Australia | Franco-Mauritian ancestry |
| Emilie de Ravin | 1981 | Actress | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| Freda du Faur | 1882 | Mountaineer | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| Johnny Famechon | 1945 | Boxer | Emigrated to Australia 1950 (about age 5) | Born in France |
| Manu Feildel | 1977 | Chef and television presenter | Lives in Australia | Born in France |
| Margaret Forrest | 1844 | Wife of Western Australia's first premier | Lived in Australia | Born in France |
| Jane Franklin | 1791 | Pioneer and philanthropist | Lived in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Mark Gasnier | 1981 | Rugby footballer | Lives in Australia | French ancestry |
| Gabriel Gaté | 1955 | Chef and television presenter | Lives in Australia | Born in France |
| Osmond Gilles | 1788 | Pastoralist, mine owner and colonial treasurer | Emigrated to Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Robert Gouger | 1802 | Founding father of South Australia and colonial secretary | Emigrated to Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Edward Hamersley | 1835 | Pastoralist and politician | Lived in Australia | Born in France |
| T. H. Laby | 1880 | Scientist | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Allan La Fontaine | 1910 | Australian rules footballer | Emigrated to Australia | Born in France |
| Jenny Lamy | 1949 | Sprinter | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| Charles La Trobe | 1801 | First Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria | Emigrated to Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Dorian Le Gallienne | 1915 | Composer | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| David Le Sage | 1979 | Writer and anti-war activist | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Heath L'Estrange | 1985 | Rugby footballer | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| Sophie Masson | 1959 | Writer | Lives in Australia | French ancestry |
| Jacques Miller | 1931 | Scientist | Lives in Australia | French ancestry |
| Emmanuel Mollois | 1969 | Chef and television presenter (Poh's Kitchen) | Lives in Australia | Born in France |
| Philippe Mouchel | Chef | Lives in Australia | Born in France | |
| William Piguenit | 1836 | Landscape artist | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Lloyd Rees | 1895 | Landscape painter | Born in Australia | Franco-Mauritian ancestry |
| John Ribot | 1955 | Rugby footballer | Born in Australia | French ancestry |
| David Rivett | 1885 | Scientist | Born in Australia | French Huguenot ancestry |
| Anthelme Thozet | 1826 | Botanist | Emigrated to Australia | Born in France |
| Julia Zemiro | 1967 | Television presenter and comedian | Lives in Australia | Born in France |
See also[edit]
- Australia–France relations
- Huguenot
- Huguenot cross
- French diaspora
- Reformed Church of France
- Taizé Community
- Dragonnade
- Revocation of the Edict of Nantes
- Alliance française
- Religion in France
- French people
- France
- History of France
- List of Huguenots
External links[edit]
- French Embassy
- France in Australia
- French Benevolent Society
- Huguenot Society of Australia
- Alliance Française (Brisbane Branch)
- French Schools in Australia
- French Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- French Association of the North Shore (Sydney)
- Eglise Réformée de France
- French Connection: Early French Explorers of Tasmania
- Tasmania's Historic French Gardens
- Tassie's French Connection
- France in Tasmania
- Napoleon Bonaparte: Notable Australian Connections
- How Very French
- History of the Huguenots
References[edit]
- ^ a b "20680-Ancestry (full classification list) by Sex - Australia" (Microsoft Excel download). 2006 Census. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ a b "20680-Country of Birth of Person (full classification list) by Sex - Australia" (Microsoft Excel download). 2006 Census. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ a b "2914.0.55.002 2006 Census Ethnic Media Package" (Excel download). Census Dictionary, 2006 (cat.no 2901.0). Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2007-06-27. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
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