Great Upheaval - the Acadian diaspora

Great Upheaval, great tragedy in Acadia

If you trace your family tree and discover Acadian ancestors, you may have had trouble following their trail, especially around 1755, when the 'Great Upheaval' took place. You might ask: What is Acadia? 

Let's start at the beginning: a small (but nevertheless necessary) explanation: Acadia was originally a French colony, located north of Virginia, and passed under English rule in 1710, while maintaining some neutrality by refusing a conditional oath of allegiance. This is where the problem lies: the British quickly wanted to strengthen their presence and used this refusal as a pretext to expel the Acadians from their lands. While a few thousand of them took refuge in other French colonies, about 8,000 would experience the 'Great Upheaval.' They were expelled to other English colonies and boarded ships under precarious conditions: hundreds of people died during the journey, many families were separated, their belongings were confiscated, and their homes were burned. The British implemented a scorched earth policy, a tactic aimed at causing as much damage as possible. Not very cheerful, then.

A scattered diaspora

The destinations of the ships were varied: South Carolina, Georgia, or Pennsylvania. They wandered for a long time in search of a welcoming land without truly settling, especially in the English colonies, in France, where about 363 refugees were welcomed in Belle-Île-en-Mer in 1765, where you can still find Acadian-sounding names like Granger, or in the Antilles. They would find this welcoming land in Louisiana, with the Cadiens, inhabitants of Acadiane, a territory officially recognized today. The flow of Acadian arrivals continued until the end of the 18th century, as populations sought to regroup. 

Today, many Acadians are found among our Quebec friends, so it is estimated that one in two Quebecers of French-Canadian origin has Acadian ancestors. To illustrate this, what better example than the Canadian Prime Minister himself? Indeed, Justin Trudeau is said to have Acadian roots and descends from the Savoie family, specifically from François Savoie, who was deported to Georgia, but whose wife took refuge in Quebec in 1756 after the Great Upheaval. 

Today, due to this turbulent history, the Acadian diaspora is very diverse. In the United States, they are found in New England where they number nearly a million, in Florida, and certainly in Louisiana. In France, their traces can be found in French Guiana, in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, in Brittany... 

The troubled history of the Acadians and the subsequent dispersion did not, however, annihilate their sense of belonging and identity. In fact, every five years, a World Acadian Congress is organized to develop this common identity and bring together the Acadian diaspora. A congress that we cannot help but recommend if you are looking to trace your Acadian roots!