Cajun

The Cajuns are an ethnic group consisting essentially of the descendants of Acadians who came from Nova Scotia to Louisiana as a result of their refusal to swear allegiance to the British Crown. The word "Cajun" is an Anglophone corruption of the French pronunciation of the word acadien, after Acadia, the name of their ancestral region in Nova Scotia; the name "Cajun" was applied to them by English-speaking colonists when they settled in Louisiana.

Ancestry

Cajuns are primarily the descendants of Acadian refugees; however other groups have contributed to the modern Cajun population. Non-Acadian French Creoles in rural areas were absorbed into Cajun communities. Many Cajuns also have ancestors who were not French. German colonists began to settle in Louisiana before the Louisiana Purchase, particularly on the "German Coast" along the Mississippi River north of New Orleans. People of Spanish origin, including many Canary Islanders have settled along the Gulf Coast, and in some cases intermarried into Cajun families. Anglo-American settlers in the region often were assimilated into Cajun communities, especially those who arrived before the English language became predominant in southern Louisiana.

Related Topics:
Creoles - German - Louisiana Purchase - Mississippi River - New Orleans - Spanish - Canary Islanders - Gulf Coast - Anglo-American - English language

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One obvious result of this cultural mixture is the variety of surnames that are common among the Cajun population. While many Cajuns have non-Acadian ancestry, a shared Acadian heritage, the legacy of the expulsion, and their maintenance of a language and culture distinct from other Americans define the Cajuns as a distinct ethnic group.

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