One Huguenot’s Flight from Religious Persecution Creates the Bondurant Family in America

Our Ancient Ancestors - Languedoc Region of France

shapeimage_1Gard Location
Our earliest documented Bondurant ancestors came from the Rouergue region of Languedoc in Southern France.  This region was influenced by Provence, Italy, and Muslim Spain more than the French court in Paris.  It spoke a different language called Occitan or Oc.  The Cevennes mountains was a hotbed of Cathar and later Huguenot religion.  This area was the scene of repeated religious persecution starting in the 1200’s and continuing through the French revolution in the late 1700’s.
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Stone Cross on Church In Cevennes Area

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The Languedoc cross represents Occitania, the language of the historic countries located south of the Loire river.  It is currently the flag of the Midi-Pyrenees region of France
The Languedoc Cross was used as the historic banner of arms by the counts of Toulouse

Early Bondurant History summarized from “The Bondurants of Genolhac, France” by Mary Bondurant Warren