In french Caribbean islands, they are called "Békés" in Martinique or "Blanc péyi" ("local whites") in Guadeloupe and they are still living there. They are not all descendants of rich plantation owners mind you, some of them descend from soldiers, workers or artisan that arrived from France during colonization and are therefore not particularly rich. The poor "béké" class are referred as "béké goyave" because they often were employed as hands in guava plantations.

The béké minority represents about 3000 people on a 400 000 hab population in Martinique. Despite the existence of poor or middle class békés, the békés are still associated with wealth and land owning. They are also often considered as a caste that only marry and breed among each other and live in specific districts among themselves.

Source : Édith Kováts-Beaudoux, Les Blancs Créoles de la Martinique. Une minorité dominante

Michel Leiris, Contacts de civilisations en Martinique et en Guadeloupe