List of demonyms for the United Kingdom

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This is a list of demonyms for places, counties and regions within the United Kingdom. A demonym derives from its place name - such as Mancunian from Manchester. As such, this list is reserved for actual demonyms of British places, and does not include colloquial nicknames for people such as Jam Eater for those from Whitehaven, or Smoggie from Middlesbrough. [1] [2]

Contents

England

LocationDemonym(s)NotesRef
Avon AvonianFormer county, now unitary authority area centred around Bristol. [3]
Barnstaple BarumitesThe town had the Latin name of ad Barnastapolitum, which became shortened to Barum. [4]
Barrow-in-Furness Barrovian [5]
Bath Bathonian [6]
Bedford BedfordianAlso applies to the wider county of Bedfordshire, and the school as an Old Bedfordian. [7]
Belgravia BelgravianAn affluent suburb of London. The term Belgravian was popularised by writers such as William Makepeace Thackery and Matthew Arnold. [8]
Berkshire Berkshireman/Berkshirewoman [9]
Biggleswade Biggleswadian [10]
Birmingham BrummieDerived from Brummagem, a demonym from Bromwich-Ham. Also less popular is Birminghamian. [11] [12]
Bournemouth Bournemouthian [13]
Bradford Bradfordian [14] [15] [16]
Brighton BrightonianAlso refers to alumni from the school (Old Brightonians). [17] [18]
Bristol Bristolian [19]
Buckinghamshire Bucksian [20]
Cambridge Cantabrigian Used to describe the inhabitants of the city, and those who are attending the university in the city. Cantab is also used occasionally. [11] [21]
Carlisle Carlislian [22]
Chelmsford Chelmsfordian [23]
Chester CestrianAlso applies to the inhabitants of Cheshire, of which Chester is the county town. [21]
Chichester Cisetrian [24]
Clitheroe Clitheronian [25]
Coalville Coalvillian [26]
Congleton CongletonianMen from the town were also known as Congleton Bears, due to the bear-baiting that existed in the town. [27] [28]
Cornwall Cornish (man or woman) [29]
Coventry Coventrian [30]
Cumbria Cumbrian, CumberlanderOriginally the area was Cumberland, which changed its county name to Cumbria in 1974. [31]
Darlington Darlingtonian [32] [33]
Derbyshire Darbyite, Darbian [i] [35]
Devon Devonian, Devonite [35]
Doncaster Doncastrian [36]
Dorset Dorsetian [37]
Durham DunelmianOriginally used to describe the alumni of Durham School, like other school names, it became loosely applied to others with connections to that town or area. [38] [39]
Essex EssexianOriginally, the name referred to anything to do with the Earl of Essex, but later came to be applied to members of the landed gentry families rom the county of Essex. [40]
Exeter Exonian [41]
Halifax Haligonian [42]
Hampshire Hantsian [43]
Harrogate Harrogatonian [44]
Hartlepool Hartlepudlian [45]
Herefordshire Herefordian [46]
Hertfordshire HertfordianPronounced as Hartfordian. [47]
Huddersfield Huddersfieldian [48]
Humberside HumbersiderDenotes someone from the former county of Humberside, land clustered around the Humber Estuary. [49]
Ingleton Ingletonian [50]
Kent Kentish Man, or Man of KentDickson lists these as demonyms. A Kentish man denotes someone who hails from west of the River Medway, whereas a Man of Kent denotes someone from east of the Medway. [51] [52]
Kingston upon Hull (Hull)Hullensian [53]
Lancaster Lancastrian [54]
Leeds Loiner, LeodensianDerived from an old name for Leeds (Loidis). [11] [55]
Lincoln Lincolnian, Lindunian [56]
Liverpool Liverpudlian [57]
London Londoner [58]
Manchester Mancunian [59]
Middlesbrough Middlesbroughian [60]
Newcastle Novocastrian [61]
Norfolk Norfolkian [62]
Northumbria NorthumbrianThe name Northumbria related to the region due north of the River Humber, essentially anyone who lived in Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumbria. The term is now used only for people from the county of Northumberland. [63]
Norwich Norvician [64]
Nottingham Nottinghamian [65]
Oswestry Oswestrian [66]
Oxford OxonianThe term also applies to a graduate of Oxford University, although more often, the term Oxbridge (Oxbridgian) applies, which puts graduates of Cambridge and Oxford together. [67]
Penzance Penzancian [68]
Peterborough Peterborian [69]
Plymouth Plymothian [70]
Pontefract PomfretianPontefract cakes (made from liquorice) were sometimes known as Pomfret Cakes . [71] [72]
Portsmouth Portsmouthian [73]
Preston Prestonian [74]
Putney Putneyite [75]
Ramsgate Ramsgatonian [76]
Richmond, North Yorkshire RichmondianThere is also a Richmond on Thames in Greater London. [77]
Ripon Riponer, or Riponian [78] [79]
Rochdale Rochdalian [80]
Runcorn Runcornian [81]
Scarborough Scarborian [82]
Isles of Scilly Scillonian [83]
Selby Selebian [84]
Sheffield Sheffielder [85]
Shropshire SalopianAlso can be used to describe people from the county town of Shrewsbury. [86]
Slough PaludinThe name is said to have derived from the Latin for a slough (marsh); Palus. [11]
Solihull Silhillian [87]
Southampton Sotonian or SouthamptonianThese demonyms were created by a local newspaper as fitting in Southampton and Southamptonian proved difficult in headlines. [88]
Stockport StopfordianAlso refers to alumni from the grammar school (Old Stopfordians). [89]
Stockton-on-Tees Stocktonian [90]
Stratford-upon-Avon Stratfordian [91]
Tadcaster Tadcastrian [92]
Telford TelfordianWhen the new town developed in the 1970s, a competition was held to decide on a name for the local inhabitants; Telfordinian and Telfordonian were also considered. [93]
Torquay Torquinian [94]
Truro Truronian [95]
Ulverston Ulverstonian [96]
Isle of Wight VectianDerives from the Roman name for the Isle of Wight, Vectis. [97]
Whitby Whitbian [98]
Wolverhampton WulfrunianSometimes referred to as Wolverhamptonians. [99] [100]
Wythenshawe Wythenshavian [101]
Yorkshire Yorkshireman/Yorkshirewoman [102]

Northern Ireland

LocationDemonym(s)NotesRef
Armagh Armachian [103]
Belfast Belfastian [104]
Coleraine Colerainers, or Colerainians [105]

Scotland

LocationDemonym(s)NotesRef
Aberdeen Aberdonian [106]
Argyll Argathelian [107]
Dundee Dundonian [39]
Edinburgh Edinburgher [108]
Fife Fifer [109]
Forfar Forfarian [110]
Galloway Gallovidan, Galwegian [111]
Glasgow GlaswegianWeegie, a nickname for those from Glasgow, derives from Glaswegian. [112] [113]
Inverness Invernesian/Invernessian [114] [115]
Oban Obanite [116]
Orkney Islands Orcadian, Orkney Islander, or Orkneyan [117]
Shetland Islands Shetlander [85]

Wales

LocationDemonym(s)NotesRef
Aberystwyth Aberystwythian [118]
Cardiff Cardiffian [119]
Cardiganshire Cardi [120]
Swansea Swansean [121]
Wrexham Wrexhamite [122]

Notes

  1. ↑ A Derbyite, spelt with an E, refers to someone recruited for First World War service under a scheme promoted by the Earl of Derby. [34]

References

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  2. ↑ Cain, James (4 October 2018). "'Smoggy' nickname for Middlesbrough people is well out of date". Teesside Live. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Dickson 2006, p. 20.
  4. ↑ Maggs, Colin (1978). The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe railway. Tarrant Hinton: Oakwood Press. p. 16. ISBN   0853612390.
  5. ↑ Mitchell, W. R. (1977). Around Morecambe Bay. Clapham: Dalesman. p. 64. ISBN   0-8520-6378-4.
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