This site traces the earliest known Mallandain ancestors from their arrival in England, through twelve generations, to their descendants today. Our English ancestors were in fact French Protestant refugees, or Huguenots, who fled France in the late 17th century to escape religious persecution. The majority of Mallandain refugees were originally from Normandy in north-west France and early English records list towns in Seine-Maritime and Haute Normandie including Fecamp, Bolbec and Lintot as their place of origin. Even today, the Mallandain name is found primarily in Normandy.
The earliest records reflect the original French spelling of Mallandain with only slight variations including Malandin and Malandain however, over the next 200 years, many more variations appeared including Mallandaine, Mallendane, Mallindine and Mallendine.
The first generations in England maintained strong connections to the French community, language and church but over time they integrated into English society, anglicized their names and adopted the Anglican form of worship. However, the knowledge of their Huguenot roots remained an important part of the oral family history and was passed down from generation to generation. Over the years, additional variations of the spelling of the name appeared and successive waves of immigration took Mallandains from England to Guernsey, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Ecuador and many other countries.
This site contains a vast amount of information with over 200 pages of information on the main family groups currently researched. To begin, please visit the Navigation page which contains helpful advice on how to use the site and locate the branches, families and individuals that most interest you.
