French Australian

French Australian
Franco-Australien
Total population
French
24,675 (by birth, 2011)[1]
110,399 (by ancestry, 2011)

98,332 (by ancestry, 2006)[2]
19,189 (by birth, 2006).[3]
Regions with significant populations
France-born people by state or territory
New South Wales New South Wales 8,936
Victoria (Australia) Victoria 5,615
Queensland Queensland 4,980
Western Australia Western Australia 2,792
Languages
Religion
  • Roman Catholic
  • Protestant
Related ethnic groups

French Australians (French: Franco-Australiens), some of whom refer to themselves as Huguenots, are Australian citizens or residents of French ancestry, or French-born people who reside in Australia. According to the 2011 Census, there were 110,399 people of French descent in Australia and 24,675 French-born people residing in the country at the time of the census, representing an increase of 28.6 per cent compared to the 2006 Census. The largest French Australian community is in the state of New South Wales, where they number 8,936 people.

Demography

People with French ancestry as a percentage of the population in Sydney divided geographically by postal area, as of the 2011 census.

According to the 2006 Australian census, 98,332 Australians (or 0.47% of the population) claim French ancestry, either alone or with another ancestry.[2] Of these, 19,186 were born in France[3] and 12,735 of them had since acquired Australian citizenship.[4]

8,281 (or 43%) of the residents born in France had arrived in Australia in 1979 or earlier.[4]

History

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 were some of the early European explorers to reach the continent.

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.[5]

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

Today, the Brisbane French Festival, held over the Bastille Day weekend, is Australia's biggest French festival.[6] 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 . 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 on to as many aspects as they can of their French heritage and identify themselves very much as Huguenots, 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 .

French cuisine has had an impact on the nation with French-inspired cafes, restaurants and boulangeries to be found in most major cities . 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 .

Most of the French-born people in Australia are Roman Catholics and the Reformed Church of France (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

Name Born Notable for Connection with Australia Connection with France
Angry Anderson1947Rock singerBorn in AustraliaFranco-Mauritian ancestry
Ted Baillieu1953Politician (Premier of Victoria)Born in AustraliaFrench-Belgian ancestry
Jason Baitieri1989Rugby footballerLives in AustraliaBorn in France
Richie Benaud1930Commentator and former cricketerBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Cate Blanchett1969ActressBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Charles Bonney1813Pioneer and politicianEmigrated to AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Joseph Bosisto1827Chemist and politicianEmigrated to AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Richard Boyer1891Broadcaster, Chief of the ABCBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Guillaume Brahimi1967ChefLives in AustraliaBorn in France
Louis Buvelot1814ArtistEmigrated to AustraliaSwiss-French
Marie Byles1900Solicitor and environmentalistEmigrated to Australia from EnglandFrench Huguenot ancestry
Roy Cazaly1893Australian Rules footballerBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Harold Cazneaux1878PhotographerEmigrated to Australia from New ZealandFrench Huguenot ancestry
Robert Champion de Crespigny1950EntrepreneurBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Charles Chauvel1897FilmmakerBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Christabel Chamarette1948Senator (Australian Greens)Emigrated to Australia from IndiaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Greg Combet1958PoliticianBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Minard Fannie Crommelin1881EnvironmentalistBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Celeste de Chabrillan1824Writer, prostitute and wife of ConsulVisited Australia 1854-1856Born in France
Russell Dumas1887EngineerBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Casey Dumont1992Female footballerBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Edward Duyker1955HistorianBorn in AustraliaFranco-Mauritian ancestry
Emilie de Ravin1981ActressBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Freda du Faur1882MountaineerBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Luke DeVere1989Association footballer for Gyeongnam FCBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Johnny Famechon1945BoxerEmigrated to Australia 1950 (about age 5) Born in France
Manu Feildel1974Chef and television presenterLives in AustraliaBorn in France
Margaret Forrest1844Wife of Western Australia's first premierLived in AustraliaBorn in France
Jane Franklin1791Pioneer and philanthropistLived in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Mark Gasnier1981Rugby footballerLives in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Gabriel Gaté1955Chef and television presenterLives in AustraliaBorn in France
Osmond Gilles1788Pastoralist, mine owner and colonial treasurerEmigrated to AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Robert Gouger1802Founding father of South Australia and colonial secretaryEmigrated to AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Edward Hamersley1835Pastoralist and politicianLived in AustraliaBorn in France
T. H. Laby1880ScientistBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Allan La Fontaine1910Australian rules footballerEmigrated to Australia Born in France
Jenny Lamy1949SprinterBorn in Australia French ancestry
Charles La Trobe1801First Lieutenant-Governor of VictoriaServed in Australia 1839-1854 French Huguenot ancestry
Dorian Le Gallienne1915ComposerBorn in Australia French ancestry
David Le Sage1979Writer and anti-war activistBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Heath L'Estrange1985Rugby footballerBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Christian Manon1950ActorLives in AustraliaBorn in France
Sophie Masson1959WriterLives in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Jacques Miller1931ScientistLives in AustraliaFrench ancestry
Emmanuel Mollois1969Chef and television presenter (Poh's Kitchen)Lives in AustraliaBorn in France
Philippe Mouchel ChefLives in AustraliaBorn in France
William Piguenit1836Landscape artistBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Lloyd Rees1895Landscape painterBorn in AustraliaFranco-Mauritian ancestry
John Ribot1955Rugby footballerBorn in AustraliaFrench ancestry
David Rivett1885ScientistBorn in AustraliaFrench Huguenot ancestry
Anthelme Thozet1826BotanistEmigrated to AustraliaBorn in France
Julia Zemiro1967Television presenter and comedianLives in AustraliaBorn in France

See also

External links

References

  1. Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Border Protection. "French Australians". Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "20680-Ancestry (full classification list) by Sex - Australia" (MICROSOFT EXCEL DOWNLOAD). 2006 Census. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "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.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "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.
  5. Flinders. "French migration to Australia in the post WWII period: Benevolent tolerance and cautious collaboration" (PDF).
  6. Brisbane French Festival. "En collaboration avec l'Alliance Française".