English people
An ethnic group native to England, descended from Anglo-Saxons and Britons.
The English people are an ethnic group and nation native to England, speaking English, a West Germanic language, and sharing a common ancestry, history, and culture. Their identity began with the Anglo-Saxons, who were known as the *Angelcynn*, meaning "Angle kin" or "English people," with their ethnonym derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Britain around the 5th century AD. The English largely descend from two main historical populations: West Germanic tribes—the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes—who settled in eastern and southern Britain after the Western Roman Empire’s withdrawal, and the existing Romano-British Brittonic speakers. Collectively called the Anglo-Saxons, they founded what became the Kingdom of England by the 10th century, partly in response to invasions and extensive settlement by Danes and other Norsemen starting in the late 9th century. This was followed by the Norman Conquest and limited Norman settlement in the late 11th century, and a notable influx of French Protestants between the 16th and 18th centuries. Some definitions of English people include later migrants, while others exclude them. England is the largest and most populous country of the United Kingdom, with most residents holding British citizenship. Since the Acts of Union 1707, England has had no devolved government, merging its parliament with Scotland’s to form the Parliament of Great Britain. The 1990s saw a rise in English self-awareness, linked to devolution in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and a waning of shared British identity. Many recent immigrants adopt a solely British identity, while others develop dual identities; notably, most non-white people in England identify as British rather than English. In the 2021 census, 58.4% of respondents identified as "British" compared to 14.9% as "English." The terms "English" and "British" are often used interchangeably, especially outside the UK, though this blurring is considered problematic for distinguishing English identity from other British inhabitants. Genetically, English people, like most Europeans, largely descend from Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, Neolithic farmers from Anatolia, and Yamnaya Steppe pastoralists, with recent studies suggesting Britain’s Neolithic population was largely replaced by a population from North Continental Europe characterized by the Bell Beaker culture.
- field
- Ethnic group and nation
- nationality
- English (demonyms: Englishman, Englishwoman)
- known_for
- Founding the Kingdom of England by the 10th century; shaping British identity and customs
- language
- English (West Germanic)
- origins
- West Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes) and Romano-British Brittonic speakers
- population_context
- Largest country of the United Kingdom; 58.4% identified as 'British' in 2021 census
Lore & Background
The English largely descend from two main historical population groups: the West Germanic tribes, including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes who settled in eastern and southern Britain following the withdrawal of the Western Roman Empire, and the Romano-British Brittonic speakers population who already lived there. Collectively known as the Anglo-Saxons, they founded what was to become the Kingdom of England by the 10th century, in response to the invasion and extensive settlement of Danes and other Norsemen that began in the late 9th century. This was followed by the Norman Conquest and limited settlement of Normans in England in the late 11th century and a sizeable number of French Protestants who emigrated between the 16th and 18th centuries. Some definitions of English people include, while others exclude, people descended from later migration into England. The 1990s witnessed a rise in English self-awareness, linked to the expressions of national self-awareness of the other British nations and the waning of a shared British national identity. Many recent immigrants to England have assumed a solely British identity, while others have developed dual or mixed identities. In the 2021 United Kingdom census, 58.4% of respondents identified as 'British' instead of 'English' to 14.9%.
Reader's Guide
The English people are significant as the foundational ethnic group of England, the largest country of the United Kingdom, and their identity has deeply influenced British customs and identity. Their origins trace to the Anglo-Saxon period, with later contributions from Norse, Norman, and French Protestant migrations. The blurring of 'English' and 'British' has been a persistent issue, noted by historians such as Krishan Kumar and A. J. P. Taylor, reflecting England's dominant position within the UK. Genetic studies show that modern English populations have a predominantly Anglo-Saxon-like ancestry in southern, central, and eastern areas, with greater indigenous origin in northern and southwestern England. The English people's legacy includes the development of the English language and the political unification that led to the Kingdom of Great Britain. Their identity continues to evolve, with debates over inclusion of later migrants and the relationship between Englishness and Britishness.
Did You Know?
- The English ethnonym is derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic peoples who settled in Britain around the 5th century AD.
- In the 2021 United Kingdom census, 58.4% of respondents identified as 'British' rather than 'English'.
More in National Cultures And Ethnic Groups 1-24
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