Labuschagne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Labuschagne or Labuschagné (usually la-buhs-kagh-nee in South Africa; also Lab-u-shane[1]) is a surname often used by Afrikaners or people of Afrikaner descent from South Africa.

History[edit]

Pontac manor, original property of Pierre Labuscaigne
Labuschagne memorial stone

The Labuscaigne family in France were French Huguenots, who suffered persecution in the 18th century. In 1710 Pierre Labuscaigne entered into the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as "Tamboerine" aboard the ship Verbergh, and embarked from Holland for the east. Labuscaigne was left behind when Verbergh reached the Cape of Good Hope, as he was too sick to continue the voyage. He was indentured to a succession of local families as a tutor, and later became sexton of the Drakenstein congregation. Upon his release from his VOC contract, he sent for his wife and children, who joined him ten years after his departure from Holland. He purchased a portion of land and named it Pontac, after the feudal lord of the region of his origin in France, the Duke of Pontacq.[citation needed]

The family eventually migrated to the Eastern Cape border region in the present-day region of Cradock, where the family featured in the Slagtersnek rebellion. The majority of the family left the Eastern Cape during the Great Trek, starting in 1836, and migrated to places in the Transvaal and Free State, as well as Natal.[citation needed]

The family name has experienced minor variation in spelling over the years. In modern times, the variations that dominate are Labuschagne and Labuscagne. Of the Labuscaigne family members in France, no other name-bearing descendants appear to have survived to the present age.[citation needed]

The Labuschagne Family Union [2] unveiled a memorial to commemorate the founding of the Labuschagne family at the Cape in 2011. The stone was laid at the Pontac Manor Hotel in Paarl. Upon change of ownership, the stone had to be moved in 2015 to its present location at the Huguenot Memorial Museum in Franschhoek.[citation needed]

People with the surname[edit]

Notable people with the surname include:

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Watch: Labuschagne explains the correct pronunciation of his name and why it changed in Australia".
  2. ^ Labuschagne Family Union