Habitant

I have selected the domain name habitant.org for a number of reasons. I like the word habitant because of its historical connections. In Canada, the early French settlers who cleared the land and farmed it were known as habitants. They did not take kindly to being called peasants. Humble farmers and fur traders though they may be, they were still a... step up from peasants and actually lived quite well in comparison to their cousins back in France. In addition, I find the term some what ironic for this web site since I dedicate several pages to families with noble and royal connections. Despite my interest in this topic, I have found that most of the nobles and royals I trace back to had more character flaws and less admirable traits than my simple habitant ancestors. The domain name habitant.org ties in well with Michigan's Habitant Heritage, the journal of the French Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, which I have published in several times. Lastly, I like the term habitant because it would be recognized, at least in the sense of a common farmer inhabiting the New World, in colonial Acadia, Louisiana, and even the French Caribbean islands. Thank you for visiting. Please visit again to view updated information. This page, and all contents, are Copyright © 1995 by John P. DuLong, Berkley, MI. All Rights Reserved. Created 23 November 1995. Last modified 1 February 2020. The coordinated graphics for this site come courtesy of Jelane Johnson.Read More