émigrés

Émigrés (singular émigré) are people who leave their country to settle elsewhere, often for political, religious, or persecutory reasons. In French usage the term emphasizes exile or flight rather than ordinary voluntary migration. The word is used similarly in English, and it can distinguish political exiles from economic migrants (immigrants) and from refugees in a broader protection sense.

Etymology and scope: émigrer means to depart from one's homeland; the term derives from Latin and French compound forms meaning to move outward. Historically, émigrés have been associated with political or religious motives rather than solely economic ones, and the label often signals a lasting or forced departure rather than temporary travel.

Historical context: The best-known category is the émigrés of the French Revolution, primarily noble and clerical figures who fled Revolutionary France between 1789 and 1794. They established networks abroad, sought foreign support to restore the monarchy, and at times engaged in counter-revolutionary activities. Many returned or were reconciled during the Bourbon Restoration. The concept has since been applied to other waves of political exiles from various countries during periods of upheaval.

Modern usage and distinctions: In contemporary French, émigré typically refers to political exiles rather than economic migrants, though the term is also used in historical or diaspora contexts. International law distinguishes refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants; the label émigré intersects with these categories but does not itself determine legal status. Emigrés have contributed to host societies culturally, scientifically, and politically while maintaining connections with their countries of origin.