Why are so many volcanoes in the Eastern Caribbean called ‘Soufriere’?

The term “soufriere” comes from the French “soufre”, which means sulphur. In many volcanic areas, sulphur is naturally deposited at the surface by the volcanic gases and has traditionally been extracted and used by people. A “soufriere” is by definition such a place where sulphur is naturally deposited and is often associated with a volcano (e.g., Soufriere Hills Volcano, in Montserrat or the town Soufriere in Dominica).