Demonym
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A demonym (/ˈdɛmənɪm/; from Ancient Greek δῆμος, dêmos, "people, tribe" and ὄνυμα, ónyma, "name") or gentilic (from Latin gentilis, "of a clan, or gens")[1] is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place.[2] Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, state, country, continent, planet, and beyond).[3] Demonyms are used to designate all people (the general population) of a particular place, regardless of ethnic, linguistic, religious or other cultural differences that may exist within the population of that place. Examples of demonyms include Cochabambino, for someone from the city of Cochabamba; American for a person from the United States of America; and Swahili, for a person of the Swahili coast.
As a sub-field of anthroponymy, the study of demonyms is called demonymy or demonymics.
Since they are referring to territorially defined groups of people, demonyms are semantically different from ethnonyms (names of ethnic groups). In the English language, there are many polysemic words that have several meanings (including demonymic and ethonymic uses), and therefore a particular use of any such word depends on the context. For example, the word Thai may be used as a demonym, designating any inhabitant of Thailand, while the same word may also be used as an ethnonym, designating members of the Thai people. Conversely, some groups of people may be associated with multiple demonyms. For example, a native of the United Kingdom may be called a British person, a Briton or, informally, a Brit.
Some demonyms may have several meanings. For example, the demonym Macedonians may refer to the population of North Macedonia, or more generally to the entire population of the region of Macedonia, a significant portion of which is in Greece. In some languages, a demonym may be borrowed from another language as a nickname or descriptive adjective for a group of people: for example, Québécois, Québécoise (female) is commonly used in English for a native of the province or city of Quebec (though Quebecer, Quebecker are also available).
In English, demonyms are always capitalized.[4]
Often, demonyms are the same as the adjectival form of the place, e.g. Egyptian, Japanese, or Greek.
English commonly uses national demonyms such as Ethiopian or Guatemalan, while the usage of local demonyms such as Chicagoan, Okie or Parisian is less common. Many local demonyms are rarely used and many places, especially smaller towns and cities, lack a commonly used and accepted demonym altogether.[5][6][7] Often, in practice, the demonym for states, provinces or cities is simply the name of the place, treated as an adjective; for instance, Kennewick Man and Massachusetts Resident (though the demonym Bay Stater, derived from its nickname, is also available).
Etymology[edit]
National Geographic attributes the term demonym to Merriam-Webster editor Paul Dickson in a recent work from 1990.[8] The word did not appear for nouns, adjectives, and verbs derived from geographical names in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary nor in prominent style manuals such as the Chicago Manual of Style. It was subsequently popularized in this sense in 1997 by Dickson in his book Labels for Locals.[9] However, in What Do You Call a Person From...? A Dictionary of Resident Names (the first edition of Labels for Locals)[10] Dickson attributed the term to George H. Scheetz, in his Names' Names: A Descriptive and Prescriptive Onymicon (1988),[3] which is apparently where the term first appears. The term may have been fashioned after demonymic, which the Oxford English Dictionary defines as the name of an Athenian citizen according to the deme to which the citizen belongs, with its first use traced to 1893.[11][12]
List of adjectival and demonymic forms for countries and nations[edit]
List of adjectivals and demonyms for cities[edit]
Suffixation[edit]
Several linguistic elements are used to create demonyms in the English language. The most common is to add a suffix to the end of the location name, slightly modified in some instances. These may resemble Late Latin, Semitic, Celtic, or Germanic suffixes, such as:
-(a)n[edit]
Continents and regions[edit]
- Africa → Africans
- Antarctica → Antarcticans[citation needed]
- Asia → Asians
- Australia → Australians
- Europe → Europeans
- North America → North Americans
- South America → South Americans
- Central America → Central Americans
- Americas → Americans
- Oceania → Oceanian
Countries[edit]
- Albania → Albanians
- Algeria → Algerians
- Andorra → Andorrans
- Angola → Angolans
- Antigua → Antiguans
- Argentina → Argentines
- Armenia → Armenians
- Australia → Australians
- Austria → Austrians
- Barbuda → Barbudans
- Belize → Belizeans
- Bolivia → Bolivians
- Bosnia → Bosnians
- Bahamas → Bahamians
- Barbados → Barbadian (also "Bajan")
- Botswana → BaTswana
- Brunei → Bruneians
- Bulgaria → Bulgarians
- Burundi → Burundians
- Cambodia → Cambodians
- Canada → Canadians
- Chile → Chileans
- Colombia → Colombians
- Costa Rica → Costa Ricans
- Croatia → Croatians (also "Croats")
- Cuba → Cubans
- Dominican Republic → Dominicans
- El Salvador → Salvadorans
- Eritrea → Eritreans
- Estonia → Estonians
- Ethiopia → Ethiopians
- Fiji → Fijian, Fijindians
- Galatia → Galatians
- Gambia → Gambians
- Georgia → Georgians
- Germany → Germans
- Ivory Coast → Ivorians
- Guatemala → Guatemalans
- Guinea → Guineans
- Haiti → Haitians
- Honduras → Hondurans
- Hungary → Hungarians
- India → Indians
- Indonesia → Indonesians
- Jamaica → Jamaicans
- Kenya → Kenyans
- Kiribati → Kiribatians (also "I-Kiribati")
- North Korea → North Koreans
- South Korea → South Koreans
- Kosovo[a] → Kosovans (also "Kosovar")
- Laos → Laos (also "Laotians")
- Latvia → Latvians
- Liberia → Liberians
- Libya → Libyans
- Lithuania → Lithuanians
- Malawi → Malawians
- Malaysia → Malaysians
- Mali → Malians
- Mauritania → Mauritanians
- Mauritius → Mauritians
- Mexico → Mexicans
- Micronesia → Micronesians
- Moldova → Moldovans
- Mongolia → Mongolians (also "Mongols")
- Monaco → Monacans (also "Monegasque")
- Morocco → Moroccans
- Mozambique → Mozambicans
- Myanmar → Myanmans (also "Burmese")
- Namibia → Namibians
- Nauru → Nauruans
- Nicaragua → Nicaraguans
- Nigeria → Nigerians
- North Macedonia → Macedonians
- Pakistan → Pakistanis
- Palau → Palauans
- Papua New Guinea → Papua New Guineans
- Paraguay → Paraguayans
- Persia → Persians
- Puerto Rico → Puerto Ricans
- Romania → Romanians
- Russia → Russians
- Rwanda → Rwandans (also "Rwandese")
- Saint Lucia → Saint Lucians
- Samoa → Samoans
- Saudi Arabia → Saudi Arabians (also "Saudis")
- Serbia → Serbians (also "Serbs")
- Sierra Leone → Sierra Leoneans
- Singapore → Singaporeans
- Slovakia → Slovakians (also "Slovaks")
- Slovenia → Slovenians (also "Slovenes")
- Somalia → Somalians (also "Somalis")
- South Africa → South Africans
- Sri Lanka → Sri Lankans
- St. Kitts and Nevis → Kittitians, Nevisians
- Syria → Syrians
- Tanzania → Tanzanians
- Tonga → Tongans
- Tunisia → Tunisians
- Tuvalu → Tuvaluans
- Uganda → Ugandans
- United States → Americans
- Uruguay → Uruguayans
- Vanuatu → Vanuatuans (also "Ni-Vanuatu")
- Venezuela → Venezuelans
- Zambia → Zambians
- Zimbabwe → Zimbabweans
Constituent states, provinces and regions[edit]
- Abkhazia → Abkhazians (also "Abkhaz")
- Alaska → Alaskans
- Alberta → Albertans
- Andalusia → Andalusians
- Arizona → Arizonans
- Arkansas → Arkansans
- Asturias → Asturians
- Bago Region → Bagoans
- Bangka Island → Bangkans
- Bavaria → Bavarians
- Bay Of Plenty → Bayer, Plentonians
- Bohemia → Bohemians
- Borneo → Borneans
- British Columbia → British Columbians
- Brittany → Bretons
- California → Californians
- Canterbury → Cantabrians
- Carinthia → Carinthians
- Colorado → Coloradans
- Corsica → Corsicans
- Crete → Cretans
- Crimea → Crimeans
- Cumbria → Cumbrians
- Dalmatia → Dalmatians
- Delaware → Delawareans
- District of Columbia → Washingtonians
- Extremadura → Extremadurans
- Florida → Floridans (more commonly "Floridians" below)
- Galicia → Galicians
- Galilee → Galileans
- Gaza Strip → Gazans
- Georgia → Georgians
- Hawaiʻi → Hawaiians[a]
- Hebrides → Hebrideans
- Idaho → Idahoans
- Illinois → Illinoisans
- Indiana → Hoosiers
- Iowa → Iowans
- Jakarta → Jakartans
- Java → Javans (also "Javanese")
- Johor → Johoreans
- Judea → Judeans
- Kansas → Kansans
- Karelia → Karelians
- Kayah State → Kayahans
- Kedah → Kedahans
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa → Pathans
- Liguria → Ligurians
- Louisiana → Louisianans (also "Louisianians")
- Madeira → Madeirans
- Malacca → Malaccans
- Majorca → Majorcans
- Mandalay Region → Mandalayans
- Manitoba → Manitobans
- Maryland → Marylanders
- Masuria → Masurians
- Menorca → Menorcans
- Minnesota → Minnesotans
- Mississippi → Mississippians
- Missouri → Missourians
- Moluccas → Moluccans
- Montana → Montanans
- Moravia → Moravians
- Nebraska → Nebraskans
- Nevada → Nevadans
- New Jersey → New Jerseyans
- New Mexico → New Mexicans (also "Neomexicanos", "Neomejicanos")
- New South Wales → New South Welshmen
- Newfoundland and Labrador → Newfoundlanders, Labradorians (also "Newfies", "Labradurians")
- Normandy → Normans
- North Dakota → North Dakotans
- Northwest Territories → Northwest Territorians
- Nova Scotia → Nova Scotians
- Ohio → Ohioans
- Oklahoma → Oklahomans
- Ontario → Ontarians
- Oregon → Oregonians
- Otago → Otagans
- Papua → Papuans
- Patagonia → Patagonians
- Pennsylvania → Pennsylvanians
- Pomerania → Pomeranians
- Rhode Island → Rhode Islander
- Samogitia → Samogitians
- Sabah → Sabahans
- Sardinia → Sardinians
- Saskatchewan → Saskatchewanians (also "Saskatchewanite")
- Silesia → Silesians
- Slavonia → Slavonians
- South Australia → South Australians
- South Dakota → South Dakotans
- Styria → Styrians
- Sumatra → Sumatrans
- Syrmia → Syrmians
- Tahiti → Tahitians
- Taranaki → Taranakians
- Tasmania → Tasmanians (informally "Taswegians")
- Tennessee → Tennesseans
- Texas → Texans
- Thuringia → Thuringians
- Transnistria → Transnistrians
- Transylvania → Transylvanians
- Umbria → Umbrians
- Utah → Utahns (also "Utahans")
- Victoria → Victorians
- Virginia → Virginians
- Waikato → Waikatorians
- Wake Island → Wakeans
- Wallachia → Wallachians
- Western Australia → Western Australians, West Australians (informally, "Westralians")
- West Papua → West Papuans
- Westphalia → Westphalians
- Wisconsin → Wisconsinites
Cities[edit]
- Aberdeen → Aberdonians
- Adelaide → Adelaideans
- Alexandria → Alexandrians
- Albuquerque → Albuquerqueans (also "Burqueños" or the feminine "Burqueñas")
- Annapolis → Annapolitans
- Atlanta → Atlantans
- Baltimore → Baltimoreans
- Bath → Bathonians
- Bristol → Bristolians
- Brockton → Brocktonians
- Bogotá → Bogotans
- Canberra → Canberrans
- Cape Town - Capetonians
- Charlotte → Charlotteans
- Chattanooga → Chattanoogans
- Chicago → Chicagoans
- Cincinnati → Cincinnatians
- Clitheroe → Clitheronians
- Coventry → Coventrians[14]
- Danu → Danuans
- Derby → Derbeians
- Dundee → Dundonians
- El Paso → El Pasoans, El Paseños
- Galway → Galwegians
- Glasgow → Glaswegians
- Hamilton → Hamiltonians
- Hanoi → Hanoians
- Hobart → Hobartians
- Indianapolis → Indianapolitans
- Istanbul → Istanbulites
- Izmir → Izmirians
- Jakarta → Jakartans
- Kalamazoo → Kalamazooans
- Kyiv → Kyivans
- Kolkata → Calcuttans
- Las Vegas → Las Vegans
- Lexington → Lexingtonians
- Madera → Maderans
- Manchester → Mancunians
- Manila → Manilans (also "Manileños" or the feminine "Manileñas")
- Mecca → Meccans
- Medina → Medinans
- Miami → Miamians
- Milwaukee → Milwaukeeans
- Minneapolis → Minneapolitans
- Naypyidaw → Naypyidawans
- Oklahoma City → Oklahoma Cityans
- Ottawa → Ottawans
- Philadelphia → Philadelphians
- Pisa → Pisans
- Pueblo → Puebloans
- Regina → Reginans
- Riga → Rigans
- Rome → Romans
- Sacramento → Sacramentans
- San Antonio → San Antonians
- San Diego → San Diegans
- San Francisco → San Franciscans
- San Jose → San Joseans
- Sarasota → Sarasotans
- Sioux City → Sioux Cityans
- Springville → Springvillians
- Sofia → Sofians
- St. Louis → St. Louisans
- Surabaya → Surabayans
- Tauranga → Taurangians
- Thebes → Thebans
- Toledo, Ohio → Toledoans
- Tucson → Tucsonians, Tucsonans
- Tulsa → Tulsans
- Utica → Uticans
- Valencia → Valencians
- Vilnius → Vilnians
- Waco, TX → Wacoans
- Wellington → Wellingtonians
- Yuma → Yumians
-ian[edit]
Countries[edit]
- Argentina → Argentinians ("Argentine" is more common)
- Artsakh → Artsakhians
- Azerbaijan → Azerbaijanians (also "Azerbaijanis" and "Azeris")
- Bahamas → Bahamians
- Barbados → Barbadians (also "Bajans")
- Belarus → Belarusians
- Belgium → Belgians
- Bermuda → Bermudians
- Brazil → Brazilians
- Cameroon → Cameroonians
- Canada → Canadians
- Cayman Islands → Caymanians
- Chad → Chadians
- Comoros → Comorians
- Ecuador → Ecuadorians
- Egypt → Egyptians
- Ghana → Ghanaians
- Gibraltar → Gibraltarians
- Grenada → Grenadians
- Indonesia → Indonesians
- Iran → Iranians
- Italy → Italians
- Jordan → Jordanians
- Laos → Laotians
- Maldives → Maldivians
- Palestine → Palestinians
- Peru → Peruvians
- Saint Vincent → Vincentians
- Trinidad and Tobago → Trinidadians, Tobagonians (also "Trinbagonians")
- Ukraine → Ukrainians
Constituent states, provinces, regions and cities[edit]
- Aarhus → Aarhusians
- Adelaide → Adelaidians
- Alabama → Alabamians
- Argyll → Argathelians
- Athens → Athenians
- Ayeyarwady Region → Ayeyarwadians
- Banat → Banatians
- Ballarat → Ballaratians
- Bengaluru → Bangloreans, Bengalurigaru
- Banten → Bantenians (also "Banteneses", "Banteners")
- Belgrade → Belgradians
- Birmingham, Alabama → Birminghamians
- Blackburn → Blackburnians
- Blackpool → Blackpudlians
- Bangkok → Bangkokians
- Boston → Bostonians
- Bracknell → Bracknellians
- Bradford → Bradfordians
- Brighton → Brightonians
- Brisbane → Brisbanians (also "Brisbanites")
- Bristol → Bristolians
- Bukovina → Bukovinian
- Burgundy → Burgundians
- Calgary → Calgarians
- Canary Islands → Canarians
- Canterbury, New Zealand → Cantabrians
- Castile → Castilians
- Cedar Rapids → Cedar Rapidians
- Chelmsford → Chelmsfordians
- Chester → Cestrians
- Chin State → Chinians
- Chittagong → Chittagonians
- Christchurch → Christchurchians (also "Christchurchers")
- Cirebon → Cirebonians
- Corinth → Corinthians
- Coventry → Coventrians
- Darwin → Darwinians
- Dayton → Daytonians
- Devon → Devonians
- Duluth → Duluthians
- Edmonton → Edmontonians
- Florida → Floridians
- Fort Worth → Fort Worthians
- Fredericton → Frederictonians
- Greenville → Greenvillians
- Hamilton → Hamiltonians
- Harrow → Harrovians
- Hartlepool → Hartlepudlians
- Hereford → Herefordians
- Herzegovina → Herzegovinians
- Hesse → Hessians
- Hobart → Hobartians
- Houston → Houstonians
- Isles of Scilly → Scillonians
- Iowa City → Iowa Citians
- Jessup → Jessupians
- Kachin State → Kachinians
- Kansas City → Kansas Citians
- Kentucky → Kentuckians
- Kingston → Kingstonians
- Lancashire → Lancastrians
- Lancaster → Lancastrians
- Lesbos → Lesbians
- Lethbridge → Lethbridgians
- Liverpool → Liverpudlians (also, informally, "Scousers")
- Louisiana → Louisianians (also "Louisianans")
- Louisville → Louisvillians
- Madison → Madisonians
- Madrid → Madrilenians
- Maharashtra → Maharashtrians
- McKinney → McKinnians
- Melbourne → Melburnians
- Memphis → Memphians
- Michigan → Michiganians, Michiganders
- Mobile, Alabama → Mobilian
- Nelson → Nelsonians
- New Guinea → New Guinians
- New Orleans → New Orleanians
- North Carolina → North Carolinians
- Northern Territory → Territorians
- Ohio → Ohioans
- Oregon → Oregonians
- Paris → Parisians
- Perlis → Perlisians
- Perak → Perakians
- Peterborough → Peterborians
- Phoenix → Phoenicians
- Plymouth → Plymothians
- Port Harcourt → Harcourtians
- Preston, Lancashire →Prestonians
- Prince George's County → Prince Georgians
- Rivers State → Riverians
- Rochdale → Rochdalians
- Rochester, New York → Rochesterians
- Rockwall, Texas → Rockwallians
- Rockwall County, Texas → Rockwallians
- Sarawak → Sarawakians
- Saskatchewan → Saskatchewanians
- Saskatoon → Saskatonians
- Savannah → Savannahians[15]
- Shrewsbury → Salopians
- Sicily → Sicilians
- Solihull → Silhillians
- South Carolina → South Carolinians
- Stockport → Stopfordians
- Swindon → Swindonians
- Tanintharyi Region → Tanintharians
- Tel Aviv, Israel → Tel Avivians
- Telford → Telfordians
- Thrace → Thracians
- Towcester → Towcestrians
- Tuban, East Java → Tubanians
- Tucson → Tucsonians
- Vilnius → Vilnians
- Washington → Washingtonians
- Wellington → Wellingtonians
- Wilmington → Wilmingtonians
- Yukon → Yukonians
-anian[edit]
- Guam → Guamanians
- Mawlamyine → Mawlamanians
-nian[edit]
- Bendigo → Bendigonians
- Buffalo → Buffalonians
- Cork → Corkonians
- Manchester → Mancunians
- Naga → Naganians
- Panama → Panamanians
- Sligo → Sligonians
- Tampa → Tampanians
- Tobago → Tobagonians
- Toronto → Torontonians
- Torquay → Torquinians
- Trinidad and Tobago → Trinbagonians
- Truro → Truronians
- Wa → Wanians
-in(e)[edit]
- Argentina → Argentines (and less commonly as "Argentinians" or "Argentineans")
- Byzantium → Byzantines
- Florence → Florentines (also Latin "Florentia")
- Gilbert Islands → Gilbertines (as by Robert Louis Stevenson, but Gilbertese was more usual)
- The Levant → Levantines
- Montenegro → Montenegrins
- Palatinate → Palatines
- Philippines → Philippine, Filipino (feminine: "Filipina", see below)
- Philistia → Philistines
-a(ñ/n)o/a, -e(ñ/n)o/a, or -i(ñ/n)o/a[edit]
as adaptations from the standard Spanish suffix -e(ñ/n)o (sometimes using a final -a instead of -o for a female, following the Spanish suffix standard -e(ñ/n)a)
Countries and regions[edit]
- Bicol → Bicolanos
- Cebu → Cebuanos
- El Salvador → Salvadoreños (also "Salvadorans")
- New Mexico → Neomexicanos, Neomejicanos (also "New Mexicans")
- Philippines → Filipinos
Cities[edit]
- Albuquerque → Burqueños (also "Albuquerqueans")
- Belo Horizonte → Belo-horizontinos
- Buenos Aires → Porteños (also "Bonaerense")
- Caguas - Caguenos
- Cainta → Cainteños
- Cavite → Caviteños
- Daraga → Daragueños
- Davao City → Davaoeños
- Iriga → Irigueños
- Legazpi → Legazpeños
- Ligao → Ligaoeños
- Los Angeles → Angelenos
- Madrid → Madrileños
- Manila → Manileños (also "Manilans")
- Masbate → Masbateños
- Naga → Nagueños
- São Paulo → Paulistanos
- Tabaco → Tabaqueños
- Tauranga → Taurangans
- Zamboanga City → Zamboangueño people
-ite[edit]
- Akron → Akronites
- Andhra - Andhrites
- Ann Arbor → Ann Arborites
- Austin → Austinites
- Baku → Bakuvites
- Bergen County, New Jersey → Bergenites
- Boulder → Boulderites
- Brisbane → Brisbanites (also "Brisbanian")
- Bronx → Bronxites
- Brooklyn → Brooklynites[16]
- Carson City, Nevada → Carsonites
- Chennai → Chennaiites
- Dallas → Dallasites
- Decatur → Decaturites
- Delhi → Delhites
- Denton, Texas → Dentonites
- Denver → Denverites
- Dhaka → Dhakaites (more commonly "Dhakaiya")
- Dubai → Dubaiites
- Dunedin → Dunedinites
- Durban → Durbanites
- Erie, Pennsylvania → Erieites
- Gaya → Gayaites
- Guelph → Guelphites
- Irmo, South Carolina → Irmites
- Israel → Israelites (also "Israeli", depending on the usage; see below)
- Istanbul → Istanbulites
- Jerusalem → Jerusalemites
- Karachi → Karachiites
- Kerala → Keralites
- Kweyol → Kweyolites
- Leicester → Leicesterite
- Manhattan → Manhattanites
- Mon State → Monites
- Moscow → Muscovites (also Latin "Muscovia")
- Montpelier, Vermont → Montpelierites
- Mumbai → Mumbaiites, Mumbaikars
- New Hampshire → New Hampshirites
- Norman, Oklahoma → Normanites
- Oban → Obanites
- Odessa → Odessites
- Pahang → Pahangite (also "Pahangese")
- Patna → Patnaites
- Penang → Penangite
- Perth → Perthites (also "Perthian" and "Perthling")
- Pullman → Pullmanites
- Putney → Putneyites
- Queens → Queensites[17]
- Reading → Readingites
- Reno, Nevada → Renoites
- Ruskin, Florida → Ruskinites
- Saint Paul, Minnesota → Saint Paulites
- Seattle → Seattleites
- Seoul → Seoulites
- Shiloh → Shilonites (as in: "Ahijah the Shilonite")
- Shillong → Shillongite (also "Nong Shillong" and "Nong Sor")
- Smyrna, Georgia → Smynite
- Spokane → Spokanites
- Sydney → Sydneyites (also "Sydneysider")
- Telangana→ Telanganites
- Tokyo → Tokyoites
- Vancouver → Vancouverites
- Vizag → Vizagites
- Warangal → Warangalites
- Wenham, Massachusetts → Wenhamites
- Westchester County, New York → Westchesterites
- Whittier, California → Whittierites
- Winston-Salem → Winston-Salemites
- Wisconsin → Wisconsinites
- Wrexham → Wrexhamites
- Wyoming → Wyomingites
- Yangon → Yangonites
-(e)r[edit]
- Amsterdam → Amsterdammers
- Auckland → Aucklanders
- Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfielder
- Beijing → Beijingers
- Belgrade → Belgraders
- Berlin → Berliners
- Bucharest → Bucharesters
- Budapest → Budapesters
- Cleveland → Clevelanders
- Cook Islands → Cook Islanders
- Copenhagen → Copenhageners
- Detroit → Detroiters
- Dublin → Dubliners
- Dresden → Dresdeners
- Fife → Fifers
- Frankfurt → Frankfurters
- Greenland → Greenlanders (also "Greenlandic")
- Hamburg → Hamburgers
- Hannover → Hannoveraners
- Hong Kong → Hongkonger, Hong Kongers (also "Hong Kongese", "Hongkongese")
- Iceland → Icelanders (also "Icelandic")
- Kosovo[a] → Kosovars (also "Kosovan")
- Leeds → Loiners
- Leipzig → Leipzigers
- Liechtenstein → Liechtensteiners
- Little Rock, AR → Little Rockers
- London → Londoners
- Lorraine → Lorrainers
- Luxembourg → Luxembourgers
- Maine → Mainers
- Maryland → Marylanders
- Michigan → Michiganders
- Montreal → Montrealers
- Netherlands → Netherlanders (also "Dutchman" and "Hollanders")
- New Brunswick → New Brunswickers
- New England → New Englanders
- New York → New Yorkers
- New Zealand → New Zealanders (see below; irregular forms)
- Newfoundland → Newfoundlanders
- Oakland → Oaklanders
- Pangkal Pinang → Pangkalpinangers
- Pittsburgh → Pittsburghers
- Prague → Praguers
- Prince Edward Island → Prince Edward Islander
- Puntland → Puntlanders
- Quebec → Quebeckers, Quebecers (though see below; irregular forms)
- Queensland → Queenslanders
- Rhineland → Rhinelanders
- Rhode Island → Rhode Islanders
- Rotterdam → Rotterdammers
- Saigon → Saigoners
- Solomon Islands → Solomon Islanders
- Stockholm → Stockholmers
- Stuttgart → Stuttgarters
- Tallinn → Tallinners
- Vermont → Vermonters
- Winnipeg → Winnipeggers
- Yellowknife → Yellowknifers
- York (UK) → Yorkers (also "Yorkies")
- Yukon → Yukoners
- Zurich → Zurichers
Often used for European locations and Canadian locations
-(i)sh[edit]
(Usually suffixed to a truncated form of the toponym, or place-name.)
"-ish" is usually proper only as an adjective. See note below list.
- Åland → Ålandish people (demonym "Ålandic")
- Bangka Island → Bangkish
- Britain, Great Britain and United Kingdom → British people (demonym "Britons")
- Cornwall → Cornish people (demonym "Cornishmen, Cornishwomen")
- Denmark → Danish people (demonym "Danes")
- England → English people (demonym "Englishmen, Englishwomen")
- Finland → Finnish people (demonym "Finns", "Finnic")
- Flanders → Flemish people (demonym "Flemings")
- Ireland → Irish people (demonym "Irishmen, Irishwomen")
- Kent → Kentish people
- Kurdistan → Kurdish people (demonym "Kurds")
- Luxembourg → Luxembourgish people (demonym "Luxembourgers")
- Niger → Nigerish (also "Nigerien")
- Northern Ireland → Northern Irish people
- Poland → Polish people (demonym "Poles")
- Scotland → Scottish people (demonym "Scots", "Scotsmen, Scotswomen")
- Spain → Spanish people (demonym "Spaniards")
- Sweden → Swedish people (demonym "Swedes")
- Turkey → Turkish people (demonym "Turks")
- Wales → Welsh people (demonym "Welshmen, Welshwomen")
-ene[edit]
- Cairo → Cairenes
- Cyrenaica → Cyrenes
- Damascus → Damascenes
- Nazareth → Nazarenes
- Palmyra → Palmyrenes
- Slovenia → Slovenes (also "Slovenians")
Often used for Middle Eastern locations and European locations.
-ensian[edit]
- Kingston-upon-Hull (UK) → Hullensians
- Leeds (UK) → Leodensians
- Reading (UK) → Readingensians
-ard[edit]
- Spain → Spaniards (also "Spanish")
- Savoy → Savoyards
- Montagne → Montagnards
- Shafter, CA → Shaftards
-ese, -nese or -lese[edit]
- Abruzzo → Abruzzese
- Ajman → Ajmanese
- Aragon → Aragonese
- Aceh → Acehnese
- Assam → Assamese
- Bali → Balinese
- Bengal → Bengalese
- Benin → Beninese (also "Beninois")
- Bern → Bernese
- Bearn → Bearnese
- Bhutan → Bhutanese
- Bologna → Bolognese
- Botswana → Botswanese
- Burkina Faso → Burkinese (also "Burkinabé")
- Calabria → Calabrese
- Cirebon, West Java → Cirebonese
- China → Chinese
- Congo → Congolese
- Da Lat → Dalatese
- East Timor → East Timorese
- Faroe Islands → Faroese
- Emirate of Fujairah → Fujairahnese
- Gabon → Gabonese (also "Gabonais", "Gabonaise")
- Genoa → Genovese, Genoese
- Gilbert Islands → Gilbertese (also "Gilbertine")
- Grenadines → Grenadinese
- Guangdong (Canton) → Cantonese
- Guyana → Guyanese
- Hainan → Hainanese
- Hong Kong → Hongkongese
- Hunan → Hunanese
- Japan → Japanese (also "Nipponese")
- Java → Javanese (also "Javans")
- Kawthaung → Kawthaunggese
- Kelantan → Kelantanese
- Kokang → Kokanggese
- Lebanon → Lebanese
- Leon → Leonese
- Macao → Macanese
- Malta → Maltese
- Manila → Manilese
- Marshall Islands → Marshallese
- Milan → Milanese
- Myanmar/Burma → Burmese (though see below; irregular forms)
- Nanjing (Nanking/Nankin)→ Nankinese
- Navarre → Navarrese
- Negeri Sembilan → Negeri Sembilanese
- Pahang → Pahangese (also "Pahangite")
- Pa Laung → Palaunggese
- Pa'O → Paonese
- Piedmont → Piedmontese
- Pittsburgh → Pittsburghese (as used routinely by residents of Pittsburgh referring only to the accent/dialect)
- Portugal → Portuguese
- Rakhine State → Arakanese
- Ras Al Khaimah → Khaimahnese
- Rwanda → Rwandese (also "Rwandans")
- Saba → Sabanese
- Sagaing Region → Sagainggese
- San Marino → Sammarinese
- Sark → Sarkese
- Sassari → Sassarese
- Senegal → Senegalese
- Shan State → Shanese
- Shanghai → Shanghaiese
- Emirate of Sharjah → Sharjahnese
- Siam → Siamese
- Sikkim → Sikkimese
- (South) Sudan → (South) Sudanese
- Suriname → Surinamese
- Taiwan → Taiwanese
- Taunggyi → Taunggese
- Tegal, Central Java → Tegalese
- Togo → Togolese
- Turin → Torinese
- Umm Al Quwain → Quwainese
- Vienna → Viennese
- Vietnam → Vietnamese
"-ese" is usually considered proper only as an adjective, or to refer to the entirety.[citation needed] Thus, "a Chinese person" is used rather than "a Chinese".[citation needed] Often used for Italian and East Asian, from the Italian suffix -ese, which is originally from the Latin adjectival ending -ensis, designating origin from a place: thus Hispaniensis (Spanish), Danensis (Danish), etc. The use in demonyms for Francophone locations is motivated by the similar-sounding French suffix -ais(e), which is at least in part a relative (< lat. -ensis or -iscus, or rather both).
-i(e) or -i(ya)[edit]
Countries[edit]
- Azerbaijan → Azerbaijanis (less commonly "Azeris," also "Azerbaijanians")
- Bahrain → Bahrainis
- Bangladesh → Bangladeshis
- Eswatini (Swaziland) → Swazis, Swatis
- Iraq → Iraqis
- Kazakhstan → Kazakhstanis (also "Kazakhs")
- Kurdistan → Kurdistanis (also "Kurdish", "Kurds")
- Kuwait → Kuwaitis
- Kyrgyzstan → Kyrgyzstanis (also "Kyrgyz")
- Nepal → Nepalis (also "Nepalese")
- Oman → Omanis
- Pakistan → Pakistanis
- Qatar → Qataris
- Somalia → Somalis
- Tajikistan → Tajikistanis (also "Tajiks")
- Thailand → Thais
- Trinidad and Tobago → Trini
- Turkmenistan → Turkmenistanis (also "Turkmen")
- United Arab Emirates → Emiratis
- Uzbekistan → Uzbekistanis (also "Uzbeks")
- Yemen → Yemenis
States, provinces, counties, and cities[edit]
- Allahabad → Allahabadis
- Azawad → Azawadis
- Azra → Azragis
- Balochistan → Balochistanis (also "Baloch", "Baluch", "Baluchi")
- Barisal → Barisalis (also "Borishali")
- Beirut → Beirutis
- Bangladesh, West Bengal → Bengalis
- Bharat → Bharatiya
- Bihar → Biharis
- Birmingham (UK) → Brummies
- Dagestan → Dagestanis
- Dhaka → Dhakaiya (less commonly "Dhakaites")
- Faridabad → Faridabadis
- Glasgow → Weegie (predominantly used by those not from Glasgow, slightly pejorative), Glaswegian (better)
- Gujarat → Gujaratis
- Hazara → Hazaragis (also "Azragi")
- Hyderabad → Hyderabadis
- Kerala → Malayalis (also "Malayalee", "Keralite")
- Kumaon → Kumaonis (also "Kumaiye")
- Lahore → Lahoris
- Punjab → Punjabis
- Rajasthan → Rajasthanis
- Rangpur → Rangpuris
- Sindh → Sindhis
- Sylhet → Sylhetis (also "Siloti")
- Tel Aviv → Tel Avivi (also "Tel Avivim" (plural))
- Yorkshire → Yorkies (also "Yorkshireman", "Tyke")
Mostly for Middle Eastern and South Asian locales. -i is encountered also in Latinate names for the various people that ancient Romans encountered (e.g. Allemanni, Helvetii). -ie is rather used for English places.
-iot or -iote[edit]
- Chios → Chiots
- Corfu → Corfiots
- Cyprus → Cypriots ("Cyprian" before 1960 independence of Cyprus)
- Phanar → Phanariotes
Used especially for Greek locations. Backformation from Cypriot, itself based in Greek -ώτης.
-k[edit]
-asque[edit]
- Bergamo → Bergamasque
- Menton → Mentonasque
- Basque Country → Basque
- Monaco → Monegasque (also "Monacans")
- Sanremo → Sanremasque
Often used for Italian and French locations.
-(we)gian[edit]
- Dawei → Dawegians
- Galloway → Galwegians
- Galway → Galwegians
- Glasgow → Glaswegians
- Magway Region → Magwegians
- Norway → Norwegians
- Poway, CA→ Powegians
- Tasmania→ Taswegians
-onian[edit]
- Aberdeen → Aberdonians
- Boston → Bostonians
- Bath → Bathonians
- Connacht → Connachtonians
- Cork → Corkonians[18]
- Dundee → Dundonians
- Halifax → Haligonians
- Lesotho → Lesothonians
- Newport → Newportonians
- Oxford → Oxonians
- Truro → Truronians
- Washington → Washingtonians
Often used for British and Irish locations.
-vian[edit]
- Barrow-in-Furness → Barrovians[19]
- Harrow → Harrovians
- Moose Jaw → Moose Javians
- Oamaru → Oamaruvians
- Oslo → Oslovians
- Peru → Peruvians
- Warsaw → Warsovians
- Waterloo → Waterluvians[20]
- Wythenshawe → Wythenshavians
-ois(e), -ais(e)[edit]
- Benin → Beninois(e) (also "Beninese")
- Gabon → Gabonais(e) (also "Gabonese")
- Seychelles → Seychellois(e)
- Quebec → Quebecois(e) (also "Quebecker", most common within Canada)
While derived from French, these are also official demonyms in English.
From Latin or Latinization[edit]
- Alsace → Alsatians (Alsatia)
- Annapolis → Annapolitans
- Ashbourne → Ashburnians (Essiburns)
- Cambridge → Cantabrigians
- Canterbury → Cantabrians
- Chester → Cestrians
- Colchester → Colcestrians
- Courland → Couronians (Curonia)
- Exeter → Exonians
- Guernsey → Sarnians (Sarnia)
- Halifax → Haligonian
- Leeds → Leodensians (Ledesia)
- Lviv → Leopolitans (Leopolis)
- Manchester → Mancunians (Mancunia)
- Melbourne → Melburnians (Melburnia)
- Minneapolis → Minneapolitans
- Naples → Neapolitans (Neapolis)
- Newcastle → Novocastrians (Novum Castrum)
- Orkney Islands → Orcadians (Orcadia)
- Oswestry → Oswestrians (Oswestria)
- Shropshire → Salopians (Salopia)
- Tripoli → Tripolitans (Tripolis)
- Venice → Venetians
- Wolverhampton → Wulfrunians
Prefixation[edit]
It is much rarer to find Demonyms created with a prefix. Mostly they are from Africa and the Pacific, and are not generally known or used outside the country concerned. In much of East Africa, a person of a particular ethnic group will be denoted by a prefix. For example, a person of the Luba people would be a Muluba, the plural form Baluba, and the language, Kiluba or Tshiluba. Similar patterns with minor variations in the prefixes exist throughout on a tribal level. And Fijians who are indigenous Fijians are known as Kaiviti (Viti being the Fijian name for Fiji). On a country level:
- Botswana → Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
- Burundi → Umurundi (singular), Abarundi (plural)
- Lesotho → Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
Non-standard examples[edit]
Demonyms may also not conform to the underlying naming of a particular place, but instead arise out of historical or cultural particularities that become associated with its denizens. In the United States such demonyms frequently become associated with regional pride such as the burqueño of Albuquerque,[21] or with the mascots of intercollegiate sports teams of the state university system, take for example the sooner of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Sooners.[22]
Formal[edit]
- Albuquerque → Burqueños
- Buenos Aires → Porteños
- Connecticut → Nutmeggers
- Guinea Bissau → Bissau-Guinean
- Edinburgh → Lothian
- Lisbon → Alfacinha
- Indiana → Hoosiers[23]
- Los Angeles → Angelenos[24]
- Massachusetts → Bay Staters[25][26]
- North Macedonia → Macedonians
- Nunavut → Nunavummiut, Nunavummiuq (sing.)
- Minas Gerais → Mineiros
- Rio Grande do Sul → Gaúchos
- Rio de Janeiro → Cariocas
- São Paulo → Paulistas
- Shropshire → Salopian
- Tierra Caliente → Calentano, Calentana, Guache, Guacha, Huache, Huacha
- Uruguay → Orientales
- Valparaíso → Porteños
Informal[edit]
- Australia → Aussie
- Birmingham, England → Brummie
- Brisbane, Australia → Brisvegan, Brisbogan
- Canada → Canuck
- Cardiff → Taffs
- Hartlepool, England → Monkey hanger
- Jersey → Jèrriais (adjectival), Jerseyman (demonym)
- Kansas → Jayhawker
- Liverpool, England → Scouser, Liverpudlian
- London, England → Cockney (Specifically: One hailing from East London, England)
- Mexico - Azteca[27]
- Middlesbrough, England → Smoggie
- Newcastle, Australia → Novocastrian
- Newcastle upon Tyne, England → Geordie
- Newfoundland, Canada → Newfie
- New Zealand → Kiwi
- North Carolina → Tar Heel
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States → Yinzer
- Peru - Inca (also Perulero)
- Puerto Rico → Boricua (from Taino Arawak "Boriken" Land of brave people)
- South Australia → Croweater
- Sunderland, England → Mackem
- Sweden → Swede
- Sydney, Australia → Sydneysider
- Ohio → Buckeye
- Oklahoma → Okie, Sooner
- Oldham, England → Yonner
- Tasmania → Taswegian[28]
- Wisconsin → Cheesehead
Demonyms and ethnonyms[edit]
Since names of places, regions and countries (toponyms) are morphologically often related to names of ethnic groups (ethnonyms), various ethnonyms may have similar, but not always identical, forms as terms for general population of those places, regions or countries (demonyms).
- Abkhazia → Abkhazians, Abkhaz
- Afghanistan → Afghans
- Albania → Albanians
- Arab League → Arabs
- Azerbaijan → Azerbaijanis, Azeris
- Bengal → Bengali (also "Bengalese")
- Bulgaria → Bulgarians
- Chechnya → Chechens
- China → Chinese
- Croatia → Croats
- Czech Republic → Czechs
- Denmark → Danes
- Egypt → Egyptians
- England → English
- Eswatini (Swaziland) → Swazis, Swatis
- Finland → Finn
- Flanders → Flemings
- France → French
- Hayastan → Hayastani (also "Armenians")
- Hungary → Hungarians, Magyars
- Indonesia → Indonesians
- Ingushetia → Ingushians
- Iran → Iranians, Persians
- Ireland → Irish
- Israel → Israeli
- Jersey → Jerseymen, Jerseywomen
- Kalmykia → Kalmyks
- Kazakhstan → Kazakhs
- KwaZulu → Zulus
- Kurdistan → Kurds
- Kumaon → Kumaonis, Kumaiye
- Kyrgyzstan → Kyrgyzs
- Lapland → Lapps
- Madagascar → Malagasys
- Malta → Maltese
- Mongolia → Mongols
- Montenegro → Montenegrins
- Morocco → Moroccans
- Netherlands → Dutch
- New Zealand → Kiwis
- Odisha → Odias
- Philippines → Filipinos
- Poland → Poles
- Scotland → Scots
- Serbia → Serbs
- Sorbia → Sorbs
- Slovakia → Slovaks
- Slovenia → Slovenes
- Somalia → Somalis
- Spain → Spanish
- Sweden → Swedes
- Tajikistan → Tajiks
- Tamil Nadu → Tamils
- Tatarstan →Tatars
- Thailand → Thais
- Turkey → Turkish
- Turkmenistan → Turkmens
- Ulster → Ulstermen
- United States of America → Americans
- Uzbekistan → Uzbeks
- Wales → Welsh people
Fiction[edit]
Literature and science fiction have created a wealth of gentilics that are not directly associated with a cultural group. These will typically be formed using the standard models above. Examples include Martian for hypothetical people of Mars (credited to scientist Percival Lowell), Gondorian for the people of Tolkien's fictional land of Gondor, and Atlantean for Plato's island Atlantis.
Other science fiction examples include Jovian for those of Jupiter or its moons and Venusian for those of Venus. Fictional aliens refer to the inhabitants of Earth as Earthling (from the diminutive -ling, ultimately from Old English -ing meaning "descendant"), as well as Terran, Terrene, Tellurian, Earther, Earthican, Terrestrial, and Solarian (from Sol, the sun).
Fantasy literature which involves other worlds or other lands also has a rich supply of gentilics. Examples include Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians, from the islands of Lilliput and Brobdingnag in the satire Gulliver's Travels.
In a few cases, where a linguistic background has been constructed, non-standard gentilics are formed (or the eponyms back-formed). Examples include Tolkien's Rohirrim (from Rohan) and the Star Trek franchise's Klingons (with various names for their homeworld).
See also[edit]
- List of adjectival and demonymic forms of place names
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for astronomical bodies
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for continental regions
- List of adjectival and demonymic forms for countries and nations
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for Australia
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for Canada
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for Cuba
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for India
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for Malaysia
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for Mexico
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for New Zealand
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for the Philippines
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for the United States
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for former regions
- List of adjectivals and demonyms for fictional regions
- List of regional nicknames
- Macedonia naming dispute
- Nationality
- -onym, especially ethnonym and Exonym and endonym
Notes[edit]
- ^ Local usage generally reserves Hawaiian as an ethnonym referring to Native Hawaiians. Hawaii resident is the preferred local form to refer to state residents in general regardless of ethnicity.[13]
a. | ^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008. Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement. Kosovo is currently recognised as an independent state by 97 out of the 193 United Nations member states. In total, 112 UN member states have recognised Kosovo at some point, of which 15 later withdrew their recognition. |
References[edit]
- ^ "Dictionary". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ Roberts 2017, p. 205.
- ^ a b George H. Scheetz (1988). Names' Names: A Descriptive and Pervasive Onymicon. Schütz Verlag.
- ^ "Gramática Inglesa. Adjetivos Gentilicios". mansioningles.com.
- ^ "Google Ngram Viewer". google.com.
- ^ "Google Ngram Viewer". google.com.
- ^ "Google Ngram Viewer". google.com.
- ^ "Gentilés, Demonyms: What's in a Name?". National Geographic Magazine. National Geographic Society (U.S.). 177: 170. February 1990.
- ^ William Safire (1997-12-14). "On Language; Gifts of Gab for 1998". The New York Times.
- ^ What Do You Call a Person From...? A Dictionary of Resident Names by Paul Dickson (Facts on File, February 1990). ISBN 978-0-8160-1983-0.
- ^ "Oxford English Dictionary". Oxford University Press.
- ^ "Aristotle's Constitution of Athens, edited by J.E. Sandy, at the Internet Archive". 1912. p. 116.
- ^ Press, AIP, Associated (2007). Stylebook and briefing on media law (42nd ed.). New York: Basic Books. p. 112. ISBN 9780465004898.
- ^ Gilbert, Simon (18 November 2014). "What makes a Coventrian ? New online tool will tell you". coventrytelegraph.
- ^ "Savannahian". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
- ^ Finn, Robin (10 October 2014). "Investing in Future Quiet, Quiet Manhattan Apartments Next to Construction Sites". The New York Times.
- ^ "Copquin explains "Queensites" for New York Times - Yale Press Log". Yale Press Log. 24 March 2008.
- ^ "Corkonian". merriam-webster.com.
- ^ "North West Evening Mail". nwemail.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2014-05-31.
- ^ Waterloo, City of (October 30, 2013). "Waterluvians! Don't forget about our trail renaming contest".
- ^ White, Juliet (July 16, 2020). "18 Words You'll Only Understand If You're From New Mexico". OnlyInYourState. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
- ^ Oklahoma, University of (May 20, 2013). "What is a Sooner?". University of Oklahoma. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
- ^ Mettler, Katie (January 13, 2017). "'Hoosier' is now the official name for Indiana folk. But what does it even mean?". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "Angeleno". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- ^ "Massachusetts: General Laws, Section 35". malegislature.gov.
- ^ Prior to the Massachusetts State Legislature designating "Bay Stater" as the state's official demonym, other terms used included Massachusett, borrowed from the native Massachusett tribe, Massachusite, championed by the early English Brahmins, Massachusettsian, by analogy with other state demonyms, and Masshole, originally derogatory.
- ^ https://www.sinonimosgratis.com/mexicanos
- ^ "Slang: What Aussies call other Aussies". Australian Geographic. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
Sources[edit]
- Roberts, Michael (2017). "The Semantics of Demonyms in English". The Semantics of Nouns. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 205–220. ISBN 9780198736721.
External links[edit]
![]() |
Look up demonym or gentilic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- www.geography-site.co.uk Alphabetical list of world demonyms.
- www.everything2.com Demonyms of the World.
- CIA World Factbook – NATIONALITY
- www.peoplefrom.co.uk Demonyms of the United Kingdom.