What do you call a person from one of the States of the USA?

It seems like a simple question, and it's a common one too. As a geography teacher I was often asked what you called a person from a country we might have been investigating. It's not always as obvious as we'd like, and it would help if everywhere followed the same rules, but of course the English language is well known for being a little eccentric at times :-)

Geographers call the word that describes where somebody comes from a DEMONYM (pronounced demo - nim) and we tend to use them quite a lot. Listen to the news, read a paper or just chat on MSN or IRC and you will see / hear plenty of demonyms.

People from different parts of the same country are often refered to with different names too. In the UK, people from Cornwall are Cornish, and in the USA, people from Nebraska are Nebraskans. Demonyms for groups of people within countries follow general rules, but have plenty of exceptions too. So, as with naming people from different countries, you can't follow a few simple rules and always get it right!

So, here's a list showing the most generally accepted demonyms in use today, arranged alphabetically for people living in the different states of the USA.

 

 

State Demonym
Alabama Alabamian, Alabaman
Alaska Alaskan, Innuit ( a group within Alaskan)
Arizona Arizonan, Arizonian
Arkansas Arkansan
California Californian
Colorado Coloradan, Coloradoan
Connecticut Connecticuter, Nutmegger
Delaware Delawarean
District of Colombia Washingtonian
Florida Floridian, Floridan, Cracker (if they were born there)
Georgia Georgian
Hawaii Hawaiian, Malihini (new comer) and Kamaaina (born there)
Idaho Idahoan
Illinois Illinian,Illinoisan
Indiana Indianan, Indianian, Hoosier
Iowa Iowegian,Iowan
Kansas Kansan
Kentucky Kentuckian
Lousiana Lousianan, Lousianian, Cajun (a group within Louisianians)
Maine Mainer, Maineiac
Maryland Marylander
Massachusetts Bay Stater, Massachusettsan
Michigan Michigander, Michiganite,Michiganian
Minnesota Minnesotan
Mississippi Mississippian
Missouri Missourian
Montana Montanan
Nebraska Nebraskan
Nevada Nevadan, Nevadian
New Hampshire New Hampshirite
New Jersey New Jerseyite, New Jerseyan, Jerseyite
New Mexico New Mexican
New York New Yorker
North Carolina North Carolinian
North Dakota North Dakotan
Ohio Ohioan
Oklahoma Oklahoman, Okie, Sooner
Oregon Oregonian
Pennsylvania Pennsylvanian
Rhode Island Rhode Islander
South Carolina South Carolinian, Sandlapper
South Dakota South Dakotan
Tennessee Tennessean, Tenesseean
Texas Texan
Utah Utahan, Utahn
Vermont Vermonter
Virginia Virginians
Washington Washingtonian
West Virginia West Virginian
Wisconsin Wisconsinite
Wyoming Wyomingite

 

 

 

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