Huguenot-L Archives

From: Lorna Newcomb <>
Subject: [Huguenot-L] Maree
Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 17:28:43 -0700

My Huguenot ancestor appears to have escaped from France via Italy
before settling in South Africa circa 1705. Ignace Maree
(Maré/Marree/Marre/Mareez), a widower gave Calabria as his last place of
domicile when he married a Dutch-French girl at the Cape. Two of their
daughters were named Francina and Venicia confirming the French -
Italian connection.

>From 1688 onwards many Huguenots settled in the then Dutch Cape colony
and their heritage is noticeable even today. Farms bearing the names
Champagne, Bien Donne, La Motte, La Rouchelle etc are reminders of their
original owners. Their european history and local descendants have been
well researched but unfortunately Ignace Maree was the only one (to the
best of my knowledge) to have come via Italy. I would be very
interested in any information on the significance of Italy as an escape
route and knowing which cities were favoured destinations. It would
also be great hearing from others with an interest in the MAREE (and its
variants) surname.

>From a cold and wet Cape Town,
Lorna Newcomb

This thread:

• [Huguenot-L] Maree by Lorna Newcomb <>