People of mixed Khoekhoe and European ancestry who occupied central South Africa just north of the Orange River in the 19th century.
In 1861, having been forced to sell their land rights to Orange Free State , one group of Griqua moved to the southern hills of the Drakensberg. This new home became Griqualand East. Other Griqua living around Kimberley met no serious challenge to their land rights until diamonds were discovered there. With the aid of the British, this group resisted absorption into the Orange Free State. Griqualand West was annexed to the British crown in 1871, and the Griqua were recognized as British subjects.