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DIRECTORY
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GOURDAIN /
GOURDIN / GOURDINE
The surname name
GOURDAIN originated in France at least as early as mid-1600s
among French Huguenots. Huguenotis a name given to Protestants of
France during the 1500s and1600s who opposed the established
religion of Catholicism. During the later part of the 1500s,
hostility between Roman Catholics and Protestants led to several religious wars. As a
consequence, during the 1600s Huguenots were persecuted
mercilessly.
Finding life in France
intolerable, several hundred-thousand Huguenots fled to several
European countries and to the English colonies of North America --
primarily Massachusetts, New York, and South Carolina. Among the
first Huguenots to settle in America was Louis Gourdain, who arrived
about 1695, and settled near the city of Jamestown in an area called
the French/Orange Quarters -- now the counties of Berkeley and
Charleston, South Carolina. The name was later anglicized, during
the early 1700s, to become GOURDIN.
The surname GOURDINE
appears to have emerged from the surname Gourdin during the
mid-1800s. In America, the surname Gourdine is almost uniquely
associated with African Americans; while the surname Gourdin is
closely aligned with European-Americans, however, the surname
Gourdin usually identify both African- and European-American
families.
- The Gourdin family from South
Carolina is chronicled in two books.
- In order to keep the
French-African-American family members abreast of events, a
newsletter was launched during the Spring of 1996. The Gourdin-Gourdine
Family Quarterly is a publication that provides current
information on Gourdin-Gourdines in America.
- Since 1989, the Gourdin-Gourdine
family has held bi-annual reunions at various locations across
the nation. These Gourdin-Gourdine
Family Reunions are excellent opportunities for family
members to unite and reunite. The next family reunion is scheduled
to be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia during July 24-27, 2009.
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