First found in Languedoc, where the family has been seated since very early times.

By 1643 there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Since immigration was slow, early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The distinguished family name Hughes has made significant contributions to the culture, arts, sciences and religion of France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Hughes were John Hugues, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1797; John Hughes, who settled in America in 1654-1663; Lewes Hughes, who came to Barbados in 1654-1661; Margery Hughes, who settled in Nevis in 1663-1679.

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