Editing Walloons (section)

==Conceptual aspects==

===Wallonia===
[[File:Walloon Region in Belgium and Europe.svg|thumb|left|Location of Wallonia in Belgium and Europe (dark green)]]
The area now known as [[Wallonia]] has been settled by various [[Celts|Celtic tribes]] and later by [[Roman people|Roman]] and [[Franks|Frankish]] settlers. From the [[early Middle Ages]] up until the [[early modern period]], the region has been separated between many city-states and external powers. Such changing rule brought variations to borders, culture, and language. The Walloon language, widespread in use up until the [[Second World War]], has been dying out of common use due in part to its prohibition by the public school system, in favor of French.

Starting from the end of the 19th century, the [[Walloon Movement]], aiming to assert the identity of Walloons as French-speaking (rather than Walloon speaking) people of Belgium. In this context, the concept of [[Wallonia]], as a heartland of the Walloon people was invented in 1886.<ref>« ‘Wallonia’ as a concept was invented at that time, and ‘Flanders’ took its present meaning to denote the whole region. » Stefaan De Rynck, « Civic culture and institutional performance of the Belgians regions », in Patrick Le Gales, Christian Lequesne, Regions in Europe : The Paradox of Power, Routledge, 27 of February 2006, 328 pages p. (ISBN 9781134710614), p. 162</ref><ref>« the privilege of educated men who studied a ‘forgotten’, but in effect invented region and celebrated its folkloric traditions, its dialects, its past and its landscape » Maarten Van Ginderachter, « Nationalist Versus Regionalist? The Flemish and Walloon Movements in Belle Epoque Belgium », in Region and State in Nineteenth-Century Europe : Nation-Building, Regional Identities and Separatism, Palgrave Macmillan, 24 of October 2012, 293p p. (ISBN 9780230313941), p. 220.</ref>

Later, this was complicated by the federal structure given to Belgium, which splits Belgium into three communities with the privilege of using their own tongues in official correspondence, but also into three autonomous regions.  The communities are: [[French Community of Belgium|French community]] (though not Walloon, but sometimes controversially called ''Wallonia-Brussels''),<ref>From 1 January 2009, "Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI) "will further enhance the visibility of Wallonia-Brussels international activities, both in Belgium and abroad. WBI will pool all of the international relations work of the French Community, the Walloon Region and the French Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region. [http://www.wbi.be/cgi/bin3/render.cgi?id=0134055_article&ln=ln3&userid=&rubr=gen Wallonia-Brussels International] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706142632/http://www.wbi.be/cgi/bin3/render.cgi?id=0134055_article&ln=ln3&userid=&rubr=gen |date=6 July 2011 }}</ref> [[Flemish community]] (which uses Dutch), and [[German-speaking Community of Belgium|German-speaking community]].  The division into political regions does not correspond with the communities: [[Flemish Region]], [[Wallonia|Walloon Region]] (including the German community but generally called Wallonia), and the bilingual (French-Dutch) [[Brussels|Brussels-Capital Region]].

===Brussels - not Walloon and mostly French-speaking===
Many non-French-speaking observers (over)generalize ''Walloons'' as a term of convenience for all Belgian French-speakers (even those born and living in the Brussels-Capital Region).  The mixing of the population over the centuries means that most families can trace ancestors on both sides of the linguistic divide.  But, the fact that Brussels is around 85% French-speaking, but is located in Dutch-speaking Flanders, has led to friction between the regions and communities.  The local dialect in Brussels, ''Brussels Vloms'', is a [[Brabantic]] dialect, reflecting the Dutch heritage of the city.

Walloons are historically credited with pioneering the [[Industrial Revolution]] in Continental Europe in the early 19th century.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/aug/07/eu "Walloons pioneered the industrial revolution in the Continent"], ''The Guardian'', 7 Aug 2008</ref> In modern history, Brussels has been the major town or the capital of the region. Because of long [[Spain|Spanish]] and minor French rule, French became the sole [[official language]].  After a brief period with Dutch as the official language while the region was part of the [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands]], the people reinstated French after achieving independence in 1830.  The Walloon region, a major coal and steel-producing area, developed rapidly into the economic powerhouse of the country.  Walloons (in fact French-speaking elites who were called ''Walloons'') became politically dominant.  Many Flemish immigrants came to work in Wallonia.  Between the 1930s and the 1970s, the gradual decline of steel and more especially [[coal mining|coal]], coupled with too little investment in service industries and light industry (which came to predominate in Flanders), started to tip the balance in the other direction.  Flanders became gradually politically and economically dominant.  In their turn, Walloon families have moved to Flanders in search of jobs.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}} This evolution has not been without political repercussions.

===Walloon identity===
The heartland of Walloon culture are the [[Meuse]] and [[Sambre]] river valleys, [[Charleroi]], [[Dinant]], [[Namur]] (the regional capital), [[Huy]], [[Verviers]], and [[Liège]].

====Regional language statistics====
The [[Walloon language]] is an element of Walloon identity.  However, the entire French-speaking population of Wallonia cannot be culturally considered Walloon, since a significant portion in the west (around [[Tournai]] and [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]]) and smaller portions in the extreme south (around [[Arelerland|Arlon]]) possess other languages as mother tongues (namely, [[Picard language|Picard]], [[Champenois]], [[Lorrain language|Lorrain]], [[Flemish dialects|Flemish]], [[German language|German]] and [[Luxembourgish]]).{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

A survey of the ''Centre liégeois d'étude de l'opinion''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cleo-ulg.be/pages/012/Accueil.fr.php |title=Centre d'étude de l'opinion |publisher=Cleo-ulg.be |access-date=2014-07-22 |archive-date=19 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219044957/http://www.cleo-ulg.be/pages/012/Accueil.fr.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> pointed out in 1989 that 71.8% of the younger people of Wallonia understand and speak only a little or no Walloon language; 17.4% speak it well; and only 10.4% speak it exclusively.<ref>Lucy Baugnet, ''L'identité culturelle des jeunes Wallons'', Liège 1989</ref> Based on other surveys and figures, Laurent Hendschel wrote in 1999 that between 30 and 40% people were bilingual in Wallonia (Walloon, Picard), among them 10% of the younger population (18–30 years old).  According to Hendschel, there are 36 to 58% of young people have a passive knowledge of the regional languages.<ref>L.Hendschel, ''Quelques indices de la vitalité du wallon'', in Walloon ''Qué walon po dmwin?'' pp 114-134, Quorum, Gerpinnes {{ISBN|2-87399-072-4}}</ref>  On the other hand, [[Givet]] ''commune'', several villages in the [[Ardennes]] ''département'' in France, which publishes the journal ''Causons wallon'' (Let us speak Walloon);<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ardenne-wallonne.fr/FR~Lassociation|title=L'association|trans-title=The Association|language=fr|work=Ardenne Wallonne|access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref> and two villages in [[Luxembourg]] are historically Walloon-speaking.

====Walloons in the Renaissance====
In 1572 [[Jean Bodin]] made a funny play on words which has been well known in Wallonia to the present:
{{blockquote| Ouallonnes enim a Belgis appelamur [nous, les "Gaulois"], quod Gallis veteribus contigit, quuum orbem terrarum peragrarent, ac mutuo interrogantes qaererent ''où allons-nous'', id est quonam profiscimur? ex eo credibile est Ouallones appellatos quod Latini sua lingua nunquam efferunt, sed g lettera utuntur.<ref>Albert Henry, opus citatus, p. 112.</ref>}}

Translation: "We are called ''Walloons'' by the Belgians because when the ancient people of [[Gallia]] were travelling the length and breadth of the earth, it happened that they asked each other: 'Où allons-nous?' [Where are we going? : the pronunciation of these French words is the same as the French word ''Wallons'' (plus 'us')], i.e. 'To which goal are we walking?.' It is probable they took from it the name ''Ouallons'' (''Wallons''), which the Latin speaking are not able to pronounce without changing the word by the use of the letter G."  One of the best translations of his (humorous) sayings used daily in Wallonia<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=fr&q=Wallons-nous%3F&btnG=Rechercher |title=Wallons-nous? |access-date=2014-07-22}}</ref> is "These are strange times we are living in."

[[Shakespeare]] used the word Walloon: "A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace/Thrust Talbot with a spear in the back."  A note in ''[[Henry VI, Part I]]'' says, "At this time, the Walloons [were] the inhabitants of the area, now in south Belgium, still known as the 'Pays wallon'."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=gv4RdLciiwIC&dq=Shakespeare+%2B+Walloon&pg=PA1 William Shakespeare, ''Henry VI, Part 1''], (Michael Taylor, ed.) [[Oxford University Press]], 2003 {{ISBN|0-19-818392-5}}, {{ISBN|978-0-19-818392-1}}, p.104, note 137</ref> Albert Henry agrees, quoting Maurice Piron,<ref>''Note sur le sens de Wallon chez Shakespeare'', Académie de langue et de littérature françaises, 42 (1964)</ref> also quoted by A.J. Hoenselaars:<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=l2iIOkFJdYAC&dq=Maurice+Piron+%2B+Shakespeare&pg=PA24 ''Reclamations of Shakespeare''], Rodopi, 1994, p. 24 {{ISBN|90-5183-606-6}}, a mistake with the inverted figures of 1492, in fact 1429 (the [[Siege of Orléans]])</ref> "'Walloon' meaning 'Walloon country' in Shakespeare's '[[Henry VI, Part 1|Henry VI]]'..."<ref>''Histoire des mots wallons et Wallonie'', op. cit., note 1, Chapter II, p. 81</ref>

====Walloons and the Enlightenment====

A 1786 history of the Netherlands noted, "[The] [[Hainaut Province|Haynault]] and [[Namur Province|Namur]], with [[Artois]], now no longer an Austrian Province, compose the Walloon country.  The Walloon name and language are also extended into the adjacent districts of the neighbouring Provinces. A large part of Brabant, where that Province borders on Haynault and Namur, is named [[Walloon Brabant]]. The affinity of language seems also on some occasions to have wrought a nearer relation."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nKEBAAAAYAAJ James Shaw, ''Sketches of the History of the Austrian Netherlands: With Remarks on the Constitution, Commerce, ...''], London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1786, p. 64</ref>

====The Belgian revolution of 1830====

The [[Belgian revolution]] was recently described as firstly a conflict between the [[Brussels]] municipality which was secondly disseminated in the rest of the country, "particularly in the Walloon provinces".<ref>French une ''tension entre l'autorité communale bruxelloise et le pouvoir hollandais dans un premier temps, et une diffusion de la colère dans le reste du pays -notamment dans les principales villes wallonnes - dans un deuxième temps'' Bruno Demoulin and Jean-Louis Kupper (editors) ''Histoire de la Wallonie'' opus citatus, p. 239</ref> We read the nearly same opinion in Edmundson's book:    <blockquote>The royal forces, on the morning of September 23, entered the city at three gates and advanced as far as the Park. But beyond that point they were unable to proceed, so desperate was the resistance, and such the hail of bullets that met them from barricades and from the windows and roofs of the houses. For three days almost without cessation the fierce contest went on, the troops losing ground rather than gaining it. On the evening of the 26th the prince gave orders to retreat, his troops having suffered severely. The effect of this withdrawal was to convert a street insurrection into a national revolt. The moderates now united with the liberals, and a Provisional Government was formed, having amongst its members [[Charles Rogier]], [[Sylvain Van de Weyer|Van de Weyer]], [[Alexandre Gendebien|Gendebien]], {{Interlanguage link|Emmanuel van der Linden d'Hooghvorst|lt=|nl||WD=}}, [[Félix de Mérode]] and [[Louis de Potter]], who a few days later returned triumphantly from banishment. The Provisional Government issued a series of decrees declaring Belgium independent, releasing the Belgian soldiers from their allegiance, and calling upon them to abandon the Dutch standard. They were obeyed. The revolt, which had been confined mainly to the [[Wallonia|Walloon]] districts, now spread rapidly over [[Flanders]].<ref>George Edmundson ''The History of Holland'' Cambridge
at the University Press, 1922, pp. 389-404 [http://www.authorama.com/history-of-holland-33.html The History of Holland]</ref></blockquote> Jacques Logie wrote: "On the 6th October, the whole [[Wallonia]] was under the Provisional Government's control. In the Flemish part of the country the collapse of the Royal Government was as total and quick as in Wallonia, except [[Ghent]] and [[Antwerp]]."<ref>Jacques Logie, ''1830. De la régionalisation à l'indépendance'', Duculot, Gembloux,1980, p.168, {{ISBN|2-8011-0332-2}}</ref> [[Robert Demoulin]], who was professor at the [[University of Liège]], wrote:  "[[Liège]] is in the forefront of the battle for liberty",<ref>RobertDemoulin, ''La Révolution de 1830'', La Renaissance du Livre, Bruxelles, 1950, p. 93</ref> more than Brussels but with Brussels. He wrote the same thing for [[Leuven]]. According to Demoulin, these three cities are the ''républiques municipales'' at the head of the Belgian revolution. In this chapter VI of his book, ''Le soulèvement national'' (pp.&nbsp;93–117), before writing "On the 6th October, the whole Wallonia is free",<ref>Robert Demoulin, opus citatus p. 113</ref> he quotes the following municipalities from which volunteers were going to Brussels, the "centre of the commotion", in order to take part in the battle against the Dutch troops: [[Tournai]], [[Namur]], [[Wavre]] (p.&nbsp;105) [[Braine-l'Alleud]], [[Genappe]], [[Jodoigne]], [[Perwez]], [[Rebecq]], [[Grez-Doiceau]], {{Interlanguage link|Limelette|fr}}, [[Nivelles]] (p.&nbsp;106), [[Charleroi]] (and its region), [[Gosselies]], [[Lodelinsart]] (p.&nbsp;107), [[Soignies]], [[Leuze-en-Hainaut|Leuze]], [[Thuin]], [[Jemappes]] (p.&nbsp;108), [[Dour, Belgium|Dour]], [[Saint-Ghislain]], {{Interlanguage link|Pâturages|fr|Pâturages (commune)}} (p.&nbsp;109) and he concluded: "So, from the Walloon little towns and countryside, people came to the capital.."<ref>Robert Demoulin, opus citatus, p. 109</ref> The Dutch fortresses were liberated in [[Ath]] ( 27 September), [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]] (29 September), [[Tournai]] (2 October), Namur (4 October) (with the help of people coming from [[Andenne]], [[Fosses]], [[Gembloux]]), [[Charleroi]] (5 October) (with people who came in their thousands).The same day that was also the case for [[Philippeville]], [[Mariembourg]], [[Dinant]], [[Bouillon, Belgium|Bouillon]].<ref>Robert Demoulin, opus citatus, pp. 111-113</ref> In [[Flanders]], the Dutch troops capitulated at the same time in [[Bruges]], [[Ypres]], [[Ostend]], [[Menen]], [[Oudenaarde]], [[Geeraardsbergen]] (pp.&nbsp;113–114), but nor in [[Ghent]] nor in [[Antwerp]] (only liberated on 17 October and 27 October).
Against these interpretation, in any case for the troubles in Brussels, John W. Rooney Jr wrote: <blockquote>It is clear from the quantitative analysis that an overwhelming majority of revolutionaries were domiciled in Brussels or in the nearby suburbs and that the aid came from outside was minimal. For example, for the day of 23 September, 88% of dead and wounded lived in Brussels identified and if we add those residing in Brabant, it reached 95%. It is true that if you look at the birthplace of revolutionary given by the census, the number of Brussels falls to less than 60%, which could suggest that there was support "national" (to different provinces Belgian), or outside the city, more than 40%.But it is nothing, we know that between 1800 and 1830 the population of the capital grew by 75,000 to 103,000, this growth is due to the designation in 1815 in Brussels as a second capital of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the rural exodus that accompanied the Industrial Revolution. It is therefore normal that a large part of the population of Brussels be originating provinces. These migrants came mainly from Flanders, which was hit hard by the crisis in the textile 1826-1830. This interpretation is also nationalist against the statements of witnesses: [[Charles Rogier]] said that there were neither in 1830 nor nation Belgian national sentiment within the population. The revolutionary [[Jean-Baptiste Nothomb]] ensures that "the feeling of national unity is born today." As for [[Joseph Lebeau]], he said that "patriotism Belgian is the son of the revolution of 1830.." Only in the following years as bourgeois revolutionary will "legitimize ideological state power.<ref>John W. Rooney Jr., ''Profil du combattant de 1830'' dans ''Revue belge d'histoire contemporaine'', T. 12, 1981, p.487 [http://www.flwi.ugent.be/btng-rbhc/pdf/BTNG-RBHC,%2012,%201981,%203,%20pp%20479-504.pdf Profil du combattant de 1830] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610152553/http://www.flwi.ugent.be/btng-rbhc/pdf/BTNG-RBHC,%2012,%201981,%203,%20pp%20479-504.pdf |date=10 June 2007 }}</ref></blockquote>

====In the Belgian State====

A few years after the [[Belgian revolution]] in 1830, the historian Louis Dewez underlined that "Belgium is shared into two people, Walloons and Flemings. The former are speaking French, the latter are speaking Flemish. The border is clear (...) The provinces which are back the Walloon line, i.e.: the [[Liège Province|Province of Liège]], the [[Walloon Brabant|Brabant wallon]], the [[Namur Province|Province of Namur]], the [[Hainaut Province|Province of Hainaut]] are Walloon [...] And the other provinces throughout the line [...] are Flemish. It is not an arbitrarian division or an imagined combination in order to support an opinion or create a system: it is a fact..."<ref>French ''La Belgique est partagée entre deux peuples, les Wallons et les Flamands. Les premiers parlent la langue française; les seconds la langue flamande. La ligne de démarcation est sensiblement tracée. [...] Ainsi les provinces qui sont en deçà de la ligne wallonne, savoir: la province de Liège, le Brabant wallon la Province de Namur, la Province de Hainaut, sont wallonnes [...] Et celles qui sont au-delà de la ligne [...] sont flamandes. Ce n'est point ici une division arbitraire ou un plan fait d'imagination pour appuyer une opinion ou créer un système; c'est une vérité de fait...'' Louis Dewez, ''Cours d'histoire de Belgique contenant les leçons publiques données au musée des Lettres ert des Sciences de Bruxelles'', tome II, pp. 152-153, JP Méline, Bruxelles, 1833</ref> [[Jules Michelet]] traveled in Wallonia in 1840 and mentions many times in his ''History of France'' his interest for Wallonia and the Walloons<ref>{{Cite book |last=Michelet |first=Jules |title=History of France |pages=35,120,139,172, 287, 297,300, 347,401, 439, 455, 468}}</ref> (this page on the [[Culture of Wallonia]]), 476 (1851 edition published online)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/histoiredefranc18michgoog |quote=Jules Michelet + hIstoire de France. |title=Histoire de France |via=[[Internet Archive]] |year=1861 |publisher=Chamerot |access-date=2014-07-22}}</ref>

====Relationship with the German-speaking community====

The Walloon Region institutionally comprises also the [[German-speaking community of Belgium]] around [[Eupen]], in the east of the region, next to Germany which ceded the area to Belgium after the [[World War I|First World War]]. Many of the 60,000 or so inhabitants of this very small community reject being considered as Walloon and – with their community executive leader [[Karl-Heinz Lambertz]] want to remain a federating unit, and to have all the powers of the Belgian Regions and Communities. Even if they do not want them absolutely and immediately (10 July 2008, official speech for the Flanders' national holiday).<ref>''Neben Flandern, Brüssel und der Wallonie möchten sie [die deutschsprachigen Belgier] ein eigenständiger Bestandteil, eine autonome gliedstaatliche Körperschaft, eine eigene „Gemeinschaft/Region“ bleiben, die für alle Gemeinschaftszuständigkeiten und jene regionalen Zuständigkeiten verantwortlich ist, die sie eigenverantwortlich gestalten will. Und auch wenn sie diese nicht unbedingt und unmittelbar fordert.''
[http://www.dglive.be/PortalData/2/Resources/downloads/staat_gesellschaft/reden/Ansprache_Festtag_Flandern_10__Juli_definitive_Fassung.pdf Ansprache von Karl-Heinz Lambertz, Ministerpräsident der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens, 10. Juli 2008]</ref>

===Walloon diaspora===<!-- PLEASE RESEPCT ALPHABETICAL ORDER -->
*[[Ardennes (department)|Département des Ardennes]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ardenne-wallonne.org/ |title=Ardenne-wallone.org |publisher=Ardenne-wallonne.org |access-date=2014-07-22}}</ref>
*[[Quebec]] and other parts of Canada<ref>Paul R. Magocsi (Multicultural History Society of Ontario), ''Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples'', University of Toronto Press, 1999, pp. 257-270 {{ISBN|0-8020-2938-8}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8020-2938-6}}</ref>
*United Kingdom<ref>Robin D. Gwynn, Huguenot Heritage, Sussex Academic Press, 2001 {{ISBN|1-902210-34-4}}  [https://books.google.com/books?id=Sky1G6VzrsYC]</ref>
*[[South Africa]]
*[[Wisconsin]]: it is estimated that between 5,000 and 7,500 [[Walloon Brabant|Brabantines]] and [[Hesbaye|Hesbignons]] immigrated to the New World from 1852 to 1856.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uwgb.edu/wisfrench/library/history/belges/wibelges.htm |title=1852: Emigration of the farmers from Brabant and Hesbaye |publisher=Uwgb.edu |access-date=2014-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102023838/http://www.uwgb.edu/wisfrench/library/history/belges/wibelges.htm |archive-date=2 January 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Algoma, Wisconsin|Algoma]], [[Brussels, Wisconsin|Brussels]], [[Casco, Wisconsin|Casco]], [[Forestville, Wisconsin|Forestville]], [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]], [[Kewaunee, Wisconsin|Kewaunee]], [[Luxemburg, Wisconsin|Luxemburg]], [[Namur, Wisconsin|Namur]], [[Sturgeon Bay]] (Françoise L'Empereur found 700 Walloon family names in the phone books of these towns).<ref>Françoise L'Empereur ''Les Wallons d'Amérique du Nord'', Duculot, Gembloux, pp. 61-68, {{ISBN|978-2-8011-0085-1}}</ref> The Walloon population of the [[Door Peninsula]] have historically spoken a distinctive dialect of Walloon known as [[Wisconsin Walloon]] or "Belgian".
*[[Walloon immigration to Sweden|Sweden]]
*Italy

====Walloons in Germany====
Since the 11th century, the great towns along the river [[Meuse]], for example, [[Dinant]], [[Huy]], and [[Liège]], traded with Germany, where ''Wallengassen'' (Walloons' neighborhoods) were founded in certain cities.<ref>Félix Rousseau, ''L'art mosan, introduction historique'', Duculot, Gembloux,1970 p. 44, {{ISBN|2-8011-0004-8}}</ref> In [[Cologne]], the Walloons were the most important foreign community, as noted by three roads named ''Walloonstreet'' in the city.<ref>Félix Rousseau, opus citatus, p. 46</ref> The Walloons traded for materials they lacked, such as copper, found in Germany, especially at [[Goslar]]. New Walloon immigrants settled in several cities in the late 17th century, including [[Magdeburg]] and [[Cottbus]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Muret|first=Eduard|title=Geschichte der Französischen Kolonie in Brandenburg-Preußen, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Berliner Gemeinde. Aus Veranlassung der Zweihundertjährigen Jubelfeier am 29. Oktober 1885|year=1885|location=Berlin|language=de|pages=209, 243–245}}</ref>

====Walloons in Poland====
Walloons were one of the first foreign immigrant groups in [[Poland]], with Walloons settling in [[Wrocław]] probably since the 12th century, however, the first written mention of Walloon immigrants in Wrocław comes from {{circa|1270}}.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Zientara|first=Benedykt|year=1975|title=Walonowie na Śląsku w XII i XIII wieku|magazine=Przegląd Historyczny|language=pl|issue=66/3|page=353}}</ref> In the 12th century, Walloon brothers [[Aleksander of Malonne|Aleksander]] and [[Walter (bishop of Wrocław)|Walter]] from [[Malonne]] served as Catholic bishops of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Płock|Płock]] and [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław|Wrocław]] in Poland, respectively, and there is a possibility that it was Bishop Walter who brought the first Walloon settlers to Poland.<ref>Zientara, p. 354</ref> In the early 13th century Duke [[Henry the Bearded]] invited further Walloon immigrants to the area of [[Oława]] and [[Wierzbno, Lower Silesian Voivodeship|Wierzbno]] to the south of Wrocław, and some descendants of Walloons from Wrocław also moved to Oława, Wierzbno, and [[Kraków]].<ref>Zientara, pp. 357, 359, 366</ref> The guild of Walloon clothiers in Wrocław ceased to exist after 1422.<ref>Zientara, p. 367</ref>

====Walloons in Transylvania====
In the 13th century, the medieval German colonization of [[Transylvania]], then part of the [[Kingdom of Hungary]], now central and north-western Romania, also included numerous Walloons. Place names such as ''Wallendorf'' (Walloon Village) and family names such as ''Valendorfean'' (Wallon peasant) can be found among the [[Romanians|Romanian]] citizens of Transylvania.<ref>Konrad Gündisch ''Without a doubt, among the settlers were not only Germans, be they Teutonici from Southern Germany or Saxons from Middle and Northern Germany but also Romanic people from the western regions of the then German Empire. One of the earliest documents on Transylvanian Saxons points at Flandrenses who had at least two independent settler groups. These came from an economically highly developed region of the empire, where during the 11th and 12th centuries shortage of land was overcome through intensive planning and building of dike systems. Cities were developed through the textile industry and trade. Many knights of the first crusade came from here. It is undisputed that Flandrenses played an important role in the German East-Migration.  Latins, settlers of Romanic-Walloon origin, were also represented. For example, Johannes Latinus, who arrived as knight but also as one of the first Transylvanian merchants; Gräf Gyan from Salzburg who frightened the bishop of Weißenburg; and Magister Gocelinus, who presented Michelsberg to the Cistercian abbey Kerz. Also to be mentioned is the name of the town Walldorf (villa Latina, "Wallonendorf", town of Walloons) and villa Barbant or Barbantina, a name which brings to mind Brabant in Belgium. Based on the described and often contradictory research results, answers to the question of the origin of Transylvanian Saxons cannot be considered as final. An incontestable clarification cannot be expected since it is probable that the colonists of different religions and ethnic background came in small groups from all regions of the then empire and grew, once in Transylvania, into a group with its own distinct identity, with German language and culture. In any event, their number was negligibly small and has been estimated at 520 families, approximately 2600 persons.'' in  ''Siebenbürgen und die Siebenbürger Sachsen'', Taschenbuch - 304 Seiten (1998) Langen-Müller, München.; {{ISBN|3-7844-2685-9}}. English translation [http://www.sibiweb.de/geschi/7b-history.htm ''The History of Transylvania and the Transylvanian Saxons''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040707001956/http://www.sibiweb.de/geschi/7b-history.htm |date=7 July 2004 }}</ref>

====Walloons in Sweden====
[[File:Lovsta bruk smeder 1870.jpg|thumb|Walloon hammersmiths at [[Lövstabruk]], early 1870s]]
{{Main|Walloon immigration to Sweden}}

Starting from the 1620s, numerous Walloon miners and iron-workers, with their families, settled in Sweden to work in [[iron mining]] and refining.<ref>Luc Courtois,''De fer et de feu l'émigration wallonne vers la Suède'' (Ouvrage publié avec l'aide du Fonds national de la recherche scientifique), Fondation wallonne, Louvain-la-neuve, 2003 {{ISBN|2-9600072-8-X}}</ref> Walloon methods of iron production were incorporated into Swedish practice, to supplement the existing German techniques. Many Walloon workers settled around the mine at [[Dannemora, Sweden|Dannemora]] producing [[Öregrund iron]] which represented 15 per cent of [[Swedish iron industry|Sweden's iron production]] at that time.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ehs.org.uk/ehs/conference2006/Assets/IIDRyden.doc | title=Swedish Economic History and the 'New Atlantic Economy', Paper, presented at the "Economic History Society Annual Conference | publisher=[[University of Reading]] | date=31 March – 2 April 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925051110/http://www.ehs.org.uk/ehs/conference2006/Assets/IIDRyden.doc | archive-date=25 September 2006 | access-date=30 August 2013 }}</ref>

They were originally led by the entrepreneur [[Louis De Geer (1587–1652)|Louis de Geer]], who commissioned them to work in the iron mines of [[Uppland]] and [[Östergötland]]. The wave of migration continued substantially into the 18th century. Walloon ancestry is traceable through Walloon surnames.  Some people of Walloon descent belong to the ''Sällskapet Vallonättlingar'' (Society of Walloon Descendants).<ref>[http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE/2000-04/0956199264 Huguenots-Walloons-Europe Archives"], Archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com</ref>

====Walloons in Finland====
During the 17th century Walloons from Sweden started arriving in Finland, during which Finland was [[Finland under Swedish rule|part of Sweden]]. Some also came directly from Wallonia. Most of them settled along the coast in ironworks. Many of the [[ironworks]] in Finland were established by Walloons. Walloons largely used the same methods as in Sweden, although Walloon forging was not used, instead Walloon smiths used the German method. As in Sweden, the Walloon population in Finland eventually integrated to the wider society. Former Finnish prime minister [[Paavo Lipponen]] is of Walloon descent.<ref>{{cite web |title=VALLONIHISTORIA |url=https://www.vallonit.fi/fi/vallonihistoria |website=vallonit.fi |date=15 April 2019 |access-date=26 January 2023 |language=Finnish}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Suomen rautaruukkien vallonit 1600- ja 1700-luvuilla |url=https://www.sssry.fi/artikkeli.htm?sn=153 |website=sssry.fi |access-date=26 January 2023 |language=Finnish}}</ref>

====Walloons in South Africa====
{{Main|Afrikaners|Huguenots in South Africa}}

===Walloon culture===
The [[Manifesto for Walloon culture]] in 1983 was a major event of the [[History of Wallonia]] quoted in the important books about the region's history.<ref>B.Demoulin and JL Kupper (editors), ''Histoire de la Wallonie'', Privat, Toulouse, 2004, pages 233-276, p. 246 {{ISBN|2-7089-4779-6}}</ref><ref>Hervé Hasquin,''La Wallonie son histoire'', Pire, Bruxelles, 1979, p. 284 {{ISBN|2-930240-18-0}}</ref>