Demonym

A demonym (/ˈdɛmənɪm/; Template:Etymology) or 'gentilic' (Template:Etymology) is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, state, country, and continent). 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; Indian for a person from India; and Swahili, for a person of the Swahili coast.

Many demonyms function both endonymically and exonymically (used by the referents themselves or by outsiders); others function only in one of those ways.

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 ethnonymic 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, or to the Greek people of the Greek region of Macedonia. 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.

Often, demonyms are the same as the adjectival form of the place, e.g. Egyptian, Japanese, or Greek. However, they are not necessarily the same, as exemplified by Spanish instead of Spaniard or British instead of Briton.

English commonly uses national demonyms such as Brazilian or Algerian, 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.

Etymology

National Geographic attributes the term demonym to Merriam-Webster editor Paul Dickson in a work from 1990. 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. However, in What Do You Call a Person From...? A Dictionary of Resident Names (the first edition of Labels for Locals) Dickson attributed the term to George H. Scheetz, in his Names' Names: A Descriptive and Prescriptive Onymicon (1988), 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.

Suffixation

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, -ian, -anian, -nian, -in(e), -a(ñ/n)o/a, -e(ñ/n)o/a, -i(ñ/n)o/a, -ite, -(e)r, -(i)sh, -ene, -ensian, -ard, -ese, -nese, -lese, -i(e), -i(ya), -iot, -iote, -k, -asque, -(we)gian, -onian, -vian, -ois(e), or -ais(e).

Examples of various suffixes

-(a)n Continents and regions Africa → Africans Antarctica → Antarcticans Asia → Asians Australia → Australians Europe → Europeans North America → North Americans South America → South Americans Central America → Central Americans Americas → Americans Oceania → Oceanians Countries Afghanistan → Afghans Albania → Albanians Algeria → Algerians Andorra → Andorrans Angola → Angolans Antigua → Antiguans Armenia → Armenians Australia → Australians Austria → Austrians Barbuda → Barbudans Belize → Belizeans Bolivia → Bolivians Bosnia and Herzegovina → Bosnians and Herzegovinians (mostly referred to as Bosnians) Brunei → Bruneians Bulgaria → Bulgarians Burundi → Burundians Cambodia → Cambodians Chile → Chileans Colombia → Colombians Costa Rica → Costa Ricans Croatia → Croatians (also "Croats") Cuba → Cubans Czech Republic → Czechs Dominican Republic → Dominicans El Salvador → Salvadorans Eritrea → Eritreans Estonia → Estonians Ethiopia → Ethiopians Fiji → Fijian, Fijindians Gambia → Gambians Georgia → Georgians Germany → Germans Guatemala → Guatemalans Guinea → Guineans Haiti → Haitians Honduras → Hondurans Hungary → Hungarians India → Indians Indonesia → Indonesians Jamaica → Jamaicans Kenya → Kenyans Kiribati → Kiribatians (also "I-Kiribati") Kosovo → Kosovars (also "Kosovans") Latvia → Latvians Liberia → Liberians Libya → Libyans Lithuania → Lithuanians Malawi → Malawians Malaysia → Malaysians Mali → Malians Mauritania → Mauritanians Mexico → Mexicans Micronesia → Micronesians Moldova → Moldovans Mongolia → Mongolians (also "Mongols") Monaco → Monacans (also "Monegasque") Morocco → Moroccans Mozambique → Mozambicans Namibia → Namibians Nauru → Nauruans Nicaragua → Nicaraguans Nigeria → Nigerians Niue → Niueans North Korea → North Koreans North Macedonia → Macedonians Palau → Palauans Papua New Guinea → Papua New Guineans Paraguay → Paraguayans Persia → Persians Romania → Romanians Russia → Russians Rwanda → Rwandans (also "Rwandese") Saint Lucia → Saint Lucians Samoa → Samoans Saudi Arabia → Saudis (also Saudi Arabians) Serbia → Serbians (also Serbs) Sierra Leone → Sierra Leoneans Singapore → Singaporeans Slovakia → Slovaks (also Slovakians) Slovenia → Slovenes (also Slovenians) South Africa → South Africans South Korea → South Koreans Sri Lanka → Sri Lankans St. Kitts and Nevis → Kittitians, Nevisians Syria → Syrians Tanzania → Tanzanians Tonga → Tongans Tunisia → Tunisians Tuvalu → Tuvaluans Uganda → Ugandans Uruguay → Uruguayans United States → Americans Vanuatu → Vanuatuans (also "Ni-Vanuatu") Venezuela → Venezuelans Zambia → Zambians Zimbabwe → Zimbabweans Constituent states, provinces and regions Abkhazia → Abkhazians (also "Abkhaz") Emirate of Abu Dhabi → Abu Dhabians (also "Dhabyani") Alaska → Alaskans Alberta → Albertans Algarve → Algarvians 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 Carinthia → Carinthians Colorado → Coloradans- Corsica → Corsicans Crete → Cretans Crimea → Crimeans Cumbria → Cumbrians Dalmatia → Dalmatians Delaware → Delawareans Washington, D.C. → Washingtonians Extremadura → Extremadurans Florida → Floridans (more commonly "Floridians" below) Galatia → Galatians Galicia → Galicians Galilee → Galileans Gaza Strip → Gazans Georgia → Georgians Hawaiʻi → Hawaiians Hebrides → Hebrideans Idaho → Idahoans Illinois → Illinoisans Indiana → Hoosiers Iowa → Iowans Jakarta → Jakartans Java → Javans (also "Javanese") Johor → Johoreans Judea → Judeans Kansas → Kansans Karelia → Karelians Karnataka → Kannadigas Kayah State → Kayahans Kedah → Kedahans Kentucky → Kentuckians Khyber Pakhtunkhwa → Pathans Lagos → Lagosians Liguria → Ligurians Louisiana → Louisianans (also "Louisianians") Madeira → Madeirans Malacca → Malaccans Mallorca → Mallorcans Mandalay Region → Mandalayans Manitoba → Manitobans 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") Normandy → Normans North Dakota → North Dakotans Northwest Territories → Northwest Territorians Nova Scotia → Nova Scotians Ohio → Ohioans Oklahoma → Oklahomans Ontario → Ontarians Oregon → Oregonians Otago → Otagoans Papua → Papuans Patagonia → Patagonians Pennsylvania → Pennsylvanians Pomerania → Pomeranians Puerto Rico → Puerto Ricans Samogitia → Samogitians Sabah → Sabahans Sarawak → Sarawakians Sardinia → Sardinians (also "Sards") Saskatchewan → Saskatchewanians (also "Saskatchewanite") Silesia → Silesians Slavonia → Slavonians South Australia → South Australians South Dakota → South Dakotans Styria → Styrians Sumatra → Sumatrans Sumba → Sumbans Sumbawa → Sumbawans Syrmia → Syrmians Tahiti → Tahitians Tamil Nadu → Tamilian 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 West Virginia → West Virginians Westphalia → Westphalians Cities Aberdeen → Aberdonians Abu Dhabi → Abu Dhabians (also "Dhabyani") 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 Charlotte → Charlotteans Chattanooga → Chattanoogans Chicago → Chicagoans Cincinnati → Cincinnatians Clitheroe → Clitheronians Coimbatore → Coimbatoreians Coventry → Coventrians Danu → Danuans Derby → Derbeians Dubai → Dubaians Dundee → Dundonians El Paso → El Pasoans, El Paseños Galway → Galwegians Glasgow → Glaswegians Hanoi → Hanoians Hatta → Hattans (also "Hattawi") Hobart → Hobartians Indianapolis → Indianapolitans İzmir → İzmirians Jakarta → Jakartans Kalamazoo → Kalamazooans Kandy → Kandyans Kuching → Kuchingites Kyiv → Kyivans Kolkata → Calcuttans Lagos → Lagosians Las Vegas → Las Vegans Liverpool → Liverpudlians Madera → Maderans Malang → Malangans Manchester → Mancunians Manila → Manilans (also "Manileños" or the feminine "Manileñas") Mecca → Meccans Medina → Medinans Melbourne → Melburnians Miami → Miamians Milwaukee → Milwaukeeans Minneapolis → Minneapolitans Mira Mesa, San Diego → Mira Mesans Miri → Mirians Naypyidaw → Naypyidawans Ngawi city → Ngawians Oklahoma City → Oklahoma Cityans Omaha → Omahans Ottawa → Ottawans Philadelphia → Philadelphians Pisa → Pisans Pueblo → Puebloans Regina → Reginans Riga → Rigans Rome → Romans Sacramento → Sacramentans Salem → Salemians 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 → Taurangans Thebes → Thebans Toledo, Ohio → Toledoans Tucson → Tucsonians, Tucsonans Tulsa → Tulsans Utica → Uticans Valencia → Valencians Vilnius → Vilnians Waco → Wacoans Yuma → Yumians -ian Countries Artsakh → Artsakhians Azerbaijan → Azerbaijanians (also "Azerbaijanis" and "Azeris") Bahamas → Bahamians Barbados → Barbadians (also "Bajans") Belarus → Belarusians Belgium → Belgians Brazil → Brazilians Cameroon → Cameroonians Canada → Canadians Cayman Islands → Caymanians Chad → Chadians Comoros → Comorians Ecuador → Ecuadorians Egypt → Egyptians Ghana → Ghanaians Gibraltar → Gibraltarians Grenada → Grenadians 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 Aarhus → Aarhusians Adelaide → Adelaidians Alabama → Alabamians Athens → Athenians Ayeyarwady Region → Ayeyarwadians Banat → Banatians Ballarat → Ballaratians Bareilly → Bareillian Bengaluru → Bangloreans, Bengalurigaru Banten → Bantenians (also "Banteneses", "Banteners") Belgrade → Belgradians (also "Belgraders") Bermuda → Bermudians (also "Bermudans") Birmingham, Alabama → Birminghamians Blackburn → Blackburnians Blackpool → Blackpudlians Bangkok → Bangkokians Bogor → Bogorians 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 Cape Town - Capetonians Castile → Castilians Catalonia → Catalonians (also ""Catalan"") 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 Labrador → Labradorians Laguna → Lagunians (also "Laguneño", "Lagunense") Lancashire → Lancastrians Lancaster → Lancastrians Lesbos → Lesbians Lethbridge → Lethbridgians Lexington → Lexingtonians Liverpool → Liverpudlians (also, informally, "Scousers") Louisiana → Louisianians (also "Louisianans") Louisville → Louisvillians Madison → Madisonians Madrid → Madrilenians Maharashtra → Maharashtrians (also "Marathis") Market Drayton → Draytonians (also, informally "Gingerbread Men") McKinney → McKinnians Melbourne → Melburnians Memphis → Memphians Michigan → Michiganians (also Michiganders) Mobile, Alabama → Mobilian Nelson → Nelsonians New Guinea → New Guinians New Orleans → New Orleanians North Carolina → North Carolinians Northern Territory → Territorians Oregon → Oregonians Paris → Parisians Perlis → Perlisians Perak → Perakians Peterborough → Peterborians Phoenix → Phoenicians Plymouth → Plymothians Port Harcourt → Harcourtians Podgorica → Podgoricians Preston, Lancashire →Prestonians Prince George's County → Prince Georgians Quezon (Tayabas) → Quezonians (also "Quezonin", "Tayabasin", with the Tayabas Tagalog suffix -(h)in) Rivers State → Riverians Rochdale → Rochdalians Rochester, New York → Rochesterians Rockwall, Texas → Rockwallians Rockwall County, Texas → Rockwallians Saint Petersburg → Saint Petersburgians (also "Saint Petersburgers") Sarawak → Sarawakians Saskatchewan → Saskatchewanians Saskatoon → Saskatonians Savannah → Savannahians Shropshire & 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 Truro → Truronians Tuban, East Java → Tubanians Tucson → Tucsonians Vilnius → Vilnians Washington → Washingtonians Wellington → Wellingtonians Wilmington → Wilmingtonians Yukon → Yukonians -anian Guam → Guamanians Mawlamyine → Mawlamanians -nian 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) Argentina → Argentines (also "Argentinians") 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 -(h)in The Tayabas Tagalog suffix -(h)in, which is mostly used by the natives in the province of Quezon, is also used for their local or native demonyms in English. Quezon (Tayabas) → Quezonins, Tayabasins (also "Quezonians") Lucena → Lucenahins Tayabas → Tayabasins (also "Tayabense") Lucban → Lucbanins Infanta → Infantahins Sariaya → Sariayahins Brgy. Ilayang/Ibabang Talim → Talimin Brgy. Isabang → Isabangin (both in Lucena and Tayabas) Brgy. Morong → Morongin -a(ñ/n)o/a, -e(ñ/n)o/a, or -i(ñ/n)o/a Adaptations from the standard Spanish suffix -e(ñ/n)o (sometimes using a final -a instead of -o for a female, following the standard Spanish suffix -e(ñ/n)a) Countries and regions Bicol → Bicolanos Cebu → Cebuanos El Salvador → Salvadoreños (also "Salvadorans") New Mexico → Neomexicanos, Neomejicanos (also "New Mexicans") Philippines → Filipinos Cities Albuquerque → Burqueños or the feminine Burqueñas (also "Albuquerqueans") Belo Horizonte → Belo-horizontinos Buenos Aires → Porteños (when referring to the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires) or "Bonaerense" (if referring to the Province of Buenos Aires) 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 San Pablo → San Pableños São Paulo → Paulistanos Tabaco → Tabaqueños Tauranga → Taurangans Zamboanga City → Zamboangueños -ite Akron → Akronites Andhra - Andhrites Ann Arbor → Ann Arborites Austin → Austinites Bagansiapiapi → Bagansiapiapites Baku → Bakuvites Bandung → Bandungites Bergen County, New Jersey → Bergenites Boulder → Boulderites Brisbane → Brisbanites (also "Brisbanian") Bronx → Bronxites Brooklyn → Brooklynites Carson City, Nevada → Carsonites Chennai → Chennaiites Columbus → Columbusite Dallas → Dallasites Decatur → Decaturites Delhi → Delhites Denton, Texas → Dentonites Denver → Denverites Dhaka → Dhakaites (more commonly "Dhakaiya") Dunedin → Dunedinites Durban → Durbanites Erie, Pennsylvania → Erieites Gaya → Gayaites Guelph → Guelphites Irmo, South Carolina → Irmites Israel → Israelis (also "Israelites") Istanbul → Istanbulites Jerusalem → Jerusalemites Karachi → Karachiites Kerala → Keralites Kimberley → Kimberlites Kweyol → Kweyolites Labuan Bajo → Labuan Bajoites 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 Odesa → Odesites Pahang → Pahangite (also "Pahangese") Patna → Patnaites Penang → Penangite Perth → Perthites (also "Perthian" and "Perthling") Pullman → Pullmanites Putney → Putneyites Queens → Queensites Reading → Readingites Reno, Nevada → Renoites Ruskin, Florida → Ruskinites Saint Paul, Minnesota → Saint Paulites Salem → Salemites 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 Amsterdam → Amsterdammers Auckland → Aucklanders Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfielder Beijing → Beijingers Belgrade → Belgraders Bergen → Bergeners Berlin → Berliners Bucharest → Bucharesters Budapest → Budapesters Boone, North Carolina → Booner Brussels → Brusselers Cleveland → Clevelanders Connecticut → Connecticuter 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 → 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 York City → New Yorkers New Zealand → New Zealanders (see below; non-standard examples) Newfoundland → Newfoundlanders Oakland → Oaklanders Pangkal Pinang → Pangkalpinangers Pittsburgh → Pittsburghers (informally "Yinzers") Prague → Praguers Prince Edward Island → Prince Edward Islander Puntland → Puntlanders Quebec → Quebeckers, Quebecers (also "Quebecois(e)") Queensland → Queenslanders Rhineland → Rhinelanders Rhode Island → Rhode Islanders Rotterdam → Rotterdammers Solomon Islands → Solomon Islanders Stockholm → Stockholmers Stuttgart → Stuttgarters Tallinn → Tallinners Vermont → Vermonters Winnipeg → Winnipeggers Yellowknife → Yellowknifers York (UK) → Yorkers (also "Yorkies") Yukon → Yukoners Zürich → Zürchers Often used for European locations and Canadian locations -(i)sh (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") Lombok → Lombokish people Luxembourg → Luxembourgish people (demonym "Luxembourgers") New South Wales → New South Welshmen 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", "Walian") -ene Cairo → Cairenes Cyrenaica → Cyrenes Damascus → Damascenes Nazareth → Nazarenes Palmyra → Palmyrenes Slovenia → Slovenes (also "Slovenians") Often used for Middle Eastern locations and European locations. -ensian (These are largely obsolete.) Kingston-upon-Hull (UK) → Hullensians Leeds (UK) → Leodensians Reading (UK) → Readingensians -ard Spain → Spaniards (also "Spanish") Savoy → Savoyards Montagne → Montagnards -ese, -nese or -lese Abruzzo → Abruzzese Ajman → Ajmanese Aragon → Aragonese Aceh → Acehnese Assam → Assamese Bali → Balinese Bengal → Bengalese Benin → Beninese (also "Beninois") Bergen → Bergenese Bern → Bernese Bearn → Bearnese Bhutan → Bhutanese Bologna → Bolognese Burkina Faso → Burkinabe 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 people 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 London → Londonese Macao → Macanese Malta → Maltese Manila → Manilese Marshall Islands → Marshallese Milan → Milanese Myanmar/Burma → Burmese Nanjing (Nanking/Nankin)→ Nankinese Navarre → Navarrese Negeri Sembilan → Negeri Sembilanese Nepal → Nepalese (also "Nepalis") 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 Saigon → Saigonese San Marino → Sammarinese Sark → Sarkese Sassari → Sassarese Senegal → Senegalese Shan State → Shanese Shanghai → Shanghainese Emirate of Sharjah → Sharjahnese (also "Sharjawi") Siam → Siamese Sikkim → Sikkimese (South) Sudan → (South) Sudanese Suriname → Surinamese Swindon → Swindonese Taiwan → Taiwanese Taunggyi → Taunggese Tegal, Central Java → Tegalese Togo → Togolese Turin → Torinese Umm Al Quwain → Quwainese (also "Qewani") Vienna → Viennese Vietnam → Vietnamese "-ese" is usually considered proper only as an adjective, or to refer to the entirety. Thus, "a Chinese person" is used rather than "a Chinese". 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) Countries Afghanistan → Afghanistanis (also "Afghans") Azerbaijan → Azerbaijanis (less commonly "Azeris", also "Azerbaijanians") Bahrain → Bahrainis Bangladesh → Bangladeshis Eswatini (Swaziland) → Swazis, Swatis Iraq → Iraqis Israel → Israelis 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 Al Ain → Ainawi 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 Hatta → Hattawi 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). -i.e. is rather used for English places. -iot or -iote 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 Greece → Greeks Slovakia → Slovaks Tajikistan → Tajiks (also "Tajikistani") -asque Bergamo → Bergamasque Menton → Mentonasque Basque Country → Basque Sanremo → Sanremasque Often used for Italian and French locations. -(we)gian Dawei → Dawegians Galloway → Galwegians Galway → Galwegians Glasgow → Glaswegians Magway Region → Magwegians Norway → Norwegians Poway, California→ Powegians Tasmania→ Taswegians -onian Aberdeen → Aberdonians Bath → Bathonians Connacht → Connachtonians Cork → Corkonians Dundee → Dundonians Halifax → Haligonians Lesotho → Lesothonians Newport → Newportonians Oxford → Oxonians Often used for British and Irish locations. -vian Barrow-in-Furness → Barrovians Harrow → Harrovians Moose Jaw → Moose Javians Oamaru → Oamaruvians Oslo → Oslovians Peru → Peruvians Warsaw → Warsovians Waterloo → Waterluvians Wythenshawe → Wythenshavians -ois(e), -ais(e) Benin → Beninois(e) (also "Beninese") Gabon → Gabonais(e) (also "Gabonese") Niger → Nigerois(e) (also "Nigerien") 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 Alsace → Alsatians (Alsatia) Annapolis → Annapolitans Argyll → Argathelians Ashbourne → Ashburnians (Essiburns) Cambridge → Cantabrigians Canterbury → Cantabrians Chester → Cestrians Colchester → Colcestrians Constantinople → Constantinopolitans (Constantinopolis) Courland → Couronians (Curonia) England → Anglican (Anglia) 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 & Shrewsbury → Salopians (Salopia) Tripoli → Tripolitans (Tripolis) Venice → Venetians Wolverhampton → Wulfrunians Other Botswana → Motswana (singular) Batswana (plural)

Prefixation

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)
• Eswatini → Liswati (singular), Emaswati (plural)
• Lesotho → Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

Non-standard examples

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 "Burqueño" and the feminine "Burqueña" of Albuquerque, or with the mascots of intercollegiate sports teams of the state university system, take for example the sooner of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Sooners.

Examples

Formal Aberdeenshire → Doric Albuquerque → Burqueños or the feminine Burqueñas (also "Albuquerqueans") Buenos Aires → Porteños Concepción, Chile → Penquistas Connecticut → Nutmeggers Cyprus → Cypriots Guinea Bissau → Bissau-Guinean Edinburgh → Lothian Lisbon → Alfacinha Indiana → Hoosiers Los Angeles → Angelenos Madagascar → Malagasy Massachusetts → Bay Staters North Macedonia → Macedonians Nunavut → Nunavummiut, Nunavummiuq (sing.) Minas Gerais → Mineiros Rio Grande do Sul → Gaúchos Rio de Janeiro (city) → Cariocas Rio de Janeiro (state) → Fluminense São Paulo (city) → Paulistanos São Paulo (state) → Paulistas Shropshire & Shrewsbury → Salopian Tierra Caliente → Calentano, Calentana, Guache, Guacha, Huache, Huacha Uruguay → Orientales Valparaíso → Porteños Informal Australia → Aussie Birmingham, England → Brummie Canada → Canuck Cardiff → Taffs Devon → Janner Hartlepool, England → Monkey hanger Isle Of Wight → Caulkheads Plymouth → Janner Jersey → Jèrriais (adjectival), Jerseyman (demonym) Kansas → Jayhawker Liverpool, England → Scouser, Liverpudlian London, England → Cockney (specifically, someone from East London) Mexico → Azteca Middlesbrough, England → Smoggie Newcastle, Australia → Novocastrian Newcastle upon Tyne, England → Geordie Newfoundland, Canada → Newfie New Zealand → Kiwi Nigeria → Naija North Carolina → Tar Heel Philippines → Pinoy Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States → Yinzer Peru → Inca (also Perulero) Puerto Rico → Boricua (from Taino Boriquen (transl. land of brave people)) South Australia → Croweater Sunderland, England → Mackem Sydney, Australia → Sydneysider Ohio → Buckeye Oklahoma → Okie, Sooner Oldham, England → Yonner Tasmania → Taswegian United States → Yank or Yankee Upper Peninsula of Michigan → Yooper Wisconsin → Cheesehead

Ethnonyms

Main article: Ethnonym

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).

Examples

Abkhazia → Abkhazians, Abkhaz Afghanistan → Afghans Albania → Albanians Algeria → Algerians Arab League → Arabs Australia → Australians, Aussies Azerbaijan → Azerbaijanis, Azeris Bengal → Bengali (also "Bengalese") Bulgaria → Bulgarians Canada → Canadians Cambodia → Khmers 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 United Kingdom → British Haiti → Haitian Hayastan → Hayastani (also "Armenians") Hungary → Hungarians, Magyars India → Indians Indonesia → Indonesians Ingushetia → Ingushians Iran → Iranians, Persians Ireland → Irish Israel → Israeli Jersey → Jerseymen, Jerseywomen Kalmykia → Kalmyks Karnataka → Kannadigas Kazakhstan → Kazakhs KwaZulu → Zulus Kurdistan → Kurds Kumaon → Kumaonis, Kumaiye Kyrgyzstan → Kyrgyzs Lapland → Laplanders Madagascar → Malagasys Mali → Malis Malta → Maltese Mongolia → Mongols Montenegro → Montenegrins Morocco → Moroccans The Americas → Native Americans, Indians Netherlands → Dutch New Zealand → Kiwis Odisha → Odias Pakistan → Pakistani Palestine → Palestinians Philippines → Filipinos (for Men), Filipinas (for Women) 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 → Turks Turkmenistan → Turkmens Ulster → Ulstermen United States → Americans Hawaii → Hawaiians, Kanaka Maoli Louisiana → Louisianans, Cajuns, Creoles New Mexico → New Mexicans, Hispanos Texas → Texans, Tejanos Uzbekistan → Uzbeks Wales → Welsh people Wallonia → Walloons

Fiction

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), the Star Trek franchise's Klingons (with various names for their homeworld), and the Sangheili from the Halo franchise, (also known as Elites in the game by humans, as well as players) named after their homeworld of Sanghelios. In the books by Frank Herbert, the people from the planet Dune (or Arrakis) are the Freman, but they are neither a nation nor a country.

See also

• 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 adjectivals and demonyms for subcontinental 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 Greco-Roman antiquity
  • List of adjectivals and demonyms for fictional regions
  • List of adjectivals and demonyms for cities
• List of regional nicknames
• Macedonia naming dispute
• Nationality
• -onym, especially ethnonym and Endonym and exonym

Sources

• Coates, Richard (2021). "Some thoughts on the theoretical status of ethnonyms and demonyms". Onomastica. 65 (2): 5–19. doi:10.17651/ONOMAST.65.2.1. S2CID 245777535.
• Roberts, Michael (2017). "The Semantics of Demonyms in English". The Semantics of Nouns. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 205–220. ISBN 978-0-19-873672-1.

External links

• 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.