# Name for all peoples from the UK **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2002, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937 "2002-12-31T20:48:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/1 "2002-12-31T20:48:07Z")
Is there a name, derogatory or nice, for all those who come from the British Isles (and the _Irish Isles_ if that’s not included in them)? That is, who are either British, Irish, Scottish or Welsh? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/2 "2002-12-31T20:49:30Z")
UK-ites? ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/3 "2002-12-31T21:01:53Z")
British. Period. People who come from England, Scotland and Wales are all British. People from Ireland, on the other hand, are Irish. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/4 "2002-12-31T21:02:34Z")
Well British, covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (though just under half the population of that province would disagree). Otherwise there isn’t really a concise word (unless there’s a really obscure one) for the whole of the British Isles. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/5 "2002-12-31T21:08:55Z")
_slight hijack, apologies_ What is the difference between being British and being a Briton? ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/6 "2002-12-31T21:13:07Z")
Casey1505: Sometimes the two are interchangeable, but Briton strictly refers to the celtic (i.e. pre anglo-saxon) inhabitants of the Island of Great Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/7 "2002-12-31T22:28:58Z")
**MC** , “close, but no cigar,” as Monica Lewinsky said to the V.P. 🙂 Briton = person of Brythonic extraction, i.e., a member of an ethnic group that speaks or used to speak a Brythonic Celtic language. Most usually applied to the inhabitants of Great Britain prior to the Dalriadic and Anglo-Saxon incursions, but quite applicable to the Lowlands Scots, the Cornish, the Welsh, and the inhabintants of the English Borders even today. (A very reputable 18th Century publication originating in Edinburgh was called _The North Briton_.) If forced to come up with such a term, I’d have to use “British” as implying “inhabitants of the British Isles,” but bearing in mind that that usage would probably be offensive to citizens of the Irish Republic. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/8 "2002-12-31T22:38:11Z")
Yes, it would definitely be offensive to citizens of the Irish Republic, as well as being offensive to approximately 44% of citizens of Northern Ireland. Don’t use it. Why should there be one term to cover all those people anyway, any more than there should be one term to cover, say, the Germans and the French? They’re _different countries_. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/9 "2002-12-31T22:39:33Z")
“Residents” of Northern Ireland, that should say. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/10 "2002-12-31T23:39:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\ ***MC** , “close, but no cigar,” as Monica Lewinsky said to the V.P. 🙂 > > Briton = person of Brythonic extraction, i.e., a member of an ethnic group that speaks or used to speak a Brythonic Celtic language. Most usually applied to the inhabitants of Great Britain prior to the Dalriadic and Anglo-Saxon incursions, but quite applicable to the Lowlands Scots, the Cornish, the Welsh, and the inhabintants of the English Borders even today. (A very reputable 18th Century publication originating in Edinburgh was called _The North Briton_.) > > If forced to come up with such a term, I’d have to use “British” as implying “inhabitants of the British Isles,” but bearing in mind that that usage would probably be offensive to citizens of the Irish Republic. \*\* The word Briton doesn’t quite have that precise meaning as it is often used to cover the picts, who may or may not of spoken Brythonic or even any form of celtic. Also the Brython celtic language and ethnic group strecthed into Gaul, Belgium and even further afield, but it would be incorrect to describe them as Britons (conversely the Bretans of Brittany are descendants of Britons). Again, for such a precise defintion it is NOT applicable today and when used when talking about a modern person only has the genral sense of someone from the UK ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/11 "2003-01-01T00:52:07Z")
Hail Ants: You may be a bit confused. You ask for a name for people from the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland), but then you ask about the “British Isles”, in which you include “Ireland”. What do you mean by the “British Isles”? Does that include the Republic of Ireland as well as N. Ireland? If so, I’m not aware of a term to cover all those people. UK= British (since you said the term could be derogatory, I think the N. Irish can then be included). Interetsting to note that in sporting events, the UK components are often treated as seperate countries. I’m thinking of golf in particular. When country of origin is listed in tournaments, you always see England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland listed as though they were independent countries. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/12 "2003-01-01T00:58:52Z")
For most sporting events: international football/soccer, rugby union, commonwealth games, etc., they are treated as separte countries though there are a few exceptions to this: (the olympics, an occcasional rugby league touring side (which also includes Irish palyers too) cricket (though they are called England they include players from Wales too), plus a few other events. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/13 "2003-01-01T01:06:24Z")
A person from Britain is a **Briton**. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/14 "2003-01-01T02:04:46Z")
Sometimes it depends on the context. If they are talking about politics they may be British, but if they are talking about sport they will be English, Welsh, or Scots, unless it is something like the Winter Olympics where a Scots cross country skiier from the Isle of Skye who does well will be known as a “Brittish skiinig hero”. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/15 "2003-01-01T02:36:17Z")
> [@](#): > > The word Briton doesn’t quite have that precise meaning as it is often used to cover the picts, who may or may not of spoken Brythonic or even any form of celtic. Well, that’s kind of a nit Pict! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mogiaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mogiaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mogiaw)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/16 "2003-01-01T18:00:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hail Ants \* > \*\*Is there a name, derogatory or nice, for all those who come from the British Isles (and the _Irish Isles_ if that’s not included in them)? > > That is, who are either British, Irish, Scottish or Welsh? \*\* As far as i’m aware **No** , there is not a name derogatory or nice, for all those who come from the British Isles. Well no popular ones. Perhap “European” might work but that also includes all the other countries in Europe.Also there are possibly a few eurosceptics who might find that term offensive. Mogiaw ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/17 "2003-01-01T18:39:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*Why should there be one term to cover all those people anyway, any more than there should be one term to cover, say, the Germans and the French? They’re _different countries_. \*\* There is a huge difference between the divide of Scotland and England, or Scotland and N. Ireland, and the divide between Germany and France. To my knowledge: The adjective, I think, for all people from the UK is British (this would be people from England, Wales, N. Ireland and Scotland), whether they object to this or not, it’s on their passport. However the Republic of Ireland, although part of the British Isles, is not a part of the UK, and so people from there are hardly ever referred to as British. btw the term ‘briton’ is often used as a term for a british person. ---
**Author:** ![Meros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Meros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meros)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/18 "2003-01-01T19:59:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mogiaw \* > > Perhap “European” might work but that also includes all the other countries in Europe.Also there are possibly a few eurosceptics who might find that term offensive. > > Mogiaw \*\* Except when a resident of the UK travels to France, Germany, etc. Don’t they refer to hat as “traveling to Europe”? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/19 "2003-01-01T20:09:48Z")
I’m not looking to start some convenient, insulting name. 🙂 I only asked because the UK & Ireland could be seen by others as one big group of islands where they (more or less) seem to speak the same language. So I though a term may have already been created at some point by those from the rest of Europe or Iceland etc. ---
**Author:** ![djbdjb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@djbdjb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djbdjb)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937/20 "2003-01-01T20:39:28Z")
Is POHM disqualified for being ‘insulting’ or is it just ‘teasing’? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-all-peoples-from-the-uk/145937.md?page=2)