I came across this looking for French ancestry - I'm posting it - in case it can help somebody regarding Hampshire !!
Huguenots
Following the Reformation France had a large minority of Protestants, namely the Calvinists known as Huguenots.
Toleration by Henri IV of Navarre, who made the Edict of Nantes in 1598 granting certain liberties to them, was followed by persecution under Louis XIV who revoked the Edict in 1685, forcing many Huguenots to choose between conversion to Roman Catholicism, death or exile. Hundreds of Huguenots chose the latter, and flocked to England at the invitation of King Charles II.They became integrated into British life, sometimes prospering greatly, as was the case for several prominent Hampshire families such as the Portals or the Garniers. A French chapel dedicated to St Julien became used by the Huguenots for their services on Sundays. Although parish registers from 1562 to the early 18th century are held by the Public Record Office and later ones by Southampton Archives Service, there are references to it in some of Hampshire Record Office’s holdings, particularly the diocesan collection of wills and inventories of French people who died in Hampshire.
These include: 1689B/06 Will of Matthew Brohier of Southampton, merchant, including bequest to the French church in Southampton and mentioning estates in Normandy
and 1731A/120 Will of Elizabeth St Dalham of St Michael, Southampton including bequest to the poor French Protestants of Southampton and stating she is unaccustomed to the laws of this country
Parish registers sometimes contain details of contemporary events such as that for Newton Valence, 33M66/PR1, containing details of the church collection for the relief of French protestants, 18 May 1686 and 11 May 1688
5M52 Portal family papers
The Portals were a Huguenot family from Bagnols-sur-Cèze in France, two of whom were forced to come to England after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and one of whom, Henry, settled in Hampshire, establishing himself as a paper manufacturer at Laverstoke.
Their papers include material relating to the French ancestry of the family; Henry’s certificate of naturalisation as a British citizen, 1711; and printed pamphlets and biographies of the Portal family, especially Baron du Portal
4M52 Ouvry papers
Papers of Lieutenant Louis Ouvry, a Huguenot refugee who came to England in 1707, entered the British army, died 1771 and was buried at Bethnal Green.
Including: an account in French of his early life and travels, nd (18th cent) and correspondence with his family, 18th cent.
Annie
