Williams based the song on a tradional Cajun song called "Anse couche couche," or Grand Texas. In the original version there are only a few lines and they refer to a man's girlfriend who left him for someone in Texas. Williams lyrics were influenced by his exposure to Cajun culture while touring in Louisiana and playing on the Louisiana Hayride. Thibodeaux and Fontenot (both of which are correct spellings) are common Cajun surnames and would indicate that the place is full of people. I doubt that Williams had a specific place in Louisiana in mind. "on the bayou" is more of a general reference to life in Louisiana. Several Cajun musicians have subsequently released "covers" of Jambalaya in which, for the most part, they translated William's lyrics as directly as possible into Cajun. As with many instances of textual translation, the result can be a little awkward.