Sources and documents about the history of the population of the Mark Brandenburg

volume 22: Georg Grüneberg

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Hugenotten in Preußen, Kolonienliste 1716 mit Namen aller Personen

Huguenots in Prussia, colony list 1716 with names of all persons

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Many families in Germany, especially in the Margraviate of Brandenburg, have Huguenot roots. Researching these is a particular challenge, as more than 30 years often passed between the

escape from France, the arrival in Germany, the initial settlement, and the much later "settling down." Where did they come from? "The Colony List of 1699," published by Dr. Richard Béringuier, Berlin 1888, provides important information. It is one of the most important sources for family researchers with Huguenot ancestors.

The Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin possesses numerous population lists from the period 1686 to 1810 in Department 122, French Colonies Section.

However, their validity and quality vary from place to place and from year to year.

Some only list the parents' names, but the children only by number; others also list the children by name, sometimes with age information, etc.

The colony list from 1716 is particularly important, as it often lists the children by name, age, and even their birthplaces. Only through this can the family's escape route over 30 years be traced. For example, Lambert Mercier came from Hainaut (now Belgium), was in England in 1694, in Holland in 1696, and finally in Hammelspring, Brandenburg, in 1699.

Such information is a rich source of information for family researchers, which is why I decided to publish this particular list. Where possible, I have added additions from older and more recent colony lists and noted them accordingly. May this source edition be a welcome aid to many family researchers in researching their Huguenot ancestors.