Foreign Protestants Naturalization Act 1708

The Foreign Protestants Naturalization Act 1708 (7 Ann. c. 9), sometimes referred to as the Foreign and Protestants Naturalization Act 1708,[3] was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain. The act was passed on 23 March 1709, which was still considered part of the year 1708 in the British calendar of the time.[4] It was passed to allow the naturalisation of French Protestants (Huguenots) who had fled to Britain since the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. It was one of the British Subjects Acts 1708 to 1772.[5]

Foreign Protestants Naturalization Act 1708[1]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long title	An Act for naturalizing Foreign Protestants.[2]
Citation	7 Ann. c. 9 (Ruffhead c. 5)
Dates
Royal assent	23 March 1709
Other legislation
Repealed by	British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

Naturalization Act 1711
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long title	An Act to repeal the Act of the Seventh Year of Her Majesty's Reign, intituled, "An Act for naturalizing Foreign Protestants," except what relates to the Children of Her Majesty's Natural-born Subjects, born out of Her Majesty's Allegiance.
Citation	10 Ann. c. 9 (Ruffhead c. 5)
Dates
Royal assent	9 February 1712
Other legislation
Repealed by	Statute Law Revision Act 1867
Status: Repealed

The Whig majority in Parliament passed the Act with the support of both Houses of Parliament, despite some opposition concerning a "conflux of aliens that would be invited over". A counter-argument is presented in the preamble of the Act, that "the increase of people is a means of advancing the wealth and strength of a nation".

The effect of the Act was that all foreign Protestants could be naturalised, provided they swore allegiance to the government and received sacrament in any Protestant church. Following passage of the Act, up to 12,000 Palatines, Suabians, and other German Lutherans arrived in Britain between May and June 1709, owing to war in those places. Some German Catholics who arrived were sent back, and some immigrants were sent on to Ireland, New York and Carolina.

The Act was largely repealed by the Tories in 1711 by the Naturalization Act 1711 (10 Ann. c. 9).[6] The section dealing with naturalizing the children of British subjects born abroad was, however, not repealed.[7][8] This section says "3. ... the children of all natural born subjects born out of the ligeance of her Majesty her heires and successors shall be deemed adjudged and taken to be natural born subjects of this kingdom to all intents constructions and purposes whatsoever."[9]