Huguenot influence - Krynauw Familie

Excerpt from “The Krynauw family” by David Willem Krynauw, born 03/02/1908.

The Krynauws, in the direct line up to Pa (Pieter Hendrik Johannes Krynauw, 1861) were all married to descendants of French Huguenots. Even in the lateral branches, 27 were of French, 8 of Dutch and 4 of German descent. In succession they were married to Jourdan, Marais, le Roux, le Roux, du Toit and De Villiers.

Interestingly, this phenomenon is also characteristic of other families. I am thinking here of the marriage that took place in 1711 between Johann Heinrich Melius and Hester Roux, the daughter of the ancestors Paul Roux and Claudine Seugnet. Melius has completely disappeared as a family name and is only found as a first name or nickname. What must be kept in mind here is not only the Huguenot influence, but the great importance of the Mother.

This is especially true in that Hester Roux, after the death of Melius, married Pierre de Villiers, baptized 26 December 1695. They were married in 1724. Her daughter, Hester Melius, married Jean de Villiers in 1699, the brother of Pierre. Another daughter, Eleonora Melius, married David Malan, the son of the ancestors Jacques Malan and Elizabeth le Long. The third daughter is Hester Roux, namely Dorothea married Paul Retief, the youngest son of the ancestors Francois Retief and Marie Muoy.

This marriage indicates a very strong Huguenot influence, but when the data is analyzed further, we find another phenomenon, namely the close ties between certain families through marriages that were mutually concluded. The data is indicated on the attached page.

In the Krynauw family there is also the similarity in lineage between the ancestors of the Malan family and the Krynauw family in that the latter’s ancestor, Johanna Jourdan, was the daughter of Jean Jourdan and Elizabeth le Long and the fact that Elizabeth le Long was also the ancestor of the Malan family. The son, David Malan, married Eleonora Melius, and after her death, he married Elizabeth Marais. The ancestor’s son Daniël Krynauw was married to her sister Margaretha Marais.

Elizabeth le Long is David Malan’s mother and Daniël Krynauw’s grandmother. Through their marriages, David Malan and Daniël Krynauw also became brothers-in-law. Interestingly, David Malan and Eleonora Melius’ son married a daughter of Jacob Marais, the only brother of the two Marais sisters. Only after her death did Daniël marry Debora Naude. The Marais connection resurfaces much later when Daniël Francois Malan married Francina S. Marais, who were the grandfather and grandmother of Dr. D. F. Malan.

Influence of the Huguenots

The French Huguenots, arriving in the Cape Colony in 1688, significantly influenced South African culture. They were gradually assimilated into the Dutch-speaking settler community due to colonial policies favouring Dutch. Over time, they adopted the Dutch language, which later evolved into Afrikaans, blending French words and expressions. Their Protestant Calvinist faith aligned with that of the Dutch Reformed Church, reinforcing a shared religious foundation. Culturally, their values of hard work, independence, and community blended with Dutch traditions, influencing the emerging Afrikaner identity. Family names, architectural styles, and farming practices of French origin became integrated into local life, leaving a lasting legacy in Afrikaner heritage and South African society.