List of demonyms for U.S. states

This is a list of terms, not manifestly pejorative, which are used, or have been used in the past, to designate the residents of specific U.S. states.

State Official (recommended by United States Government Printing Office)[1] Official, unofficial or informal alternates
Alabama Alabamian Alabaman[2][3]
Alaska Alaskan Ice Chipper
Arizona Arizonan Arizonian[2], Sand Cutter[4]
Arkansas Arkansan Arkansawyer (favored particularly by some native residents)[5], Arkie [6]
California Californian
Colorado Coloradan Coloradoan (archaic)[7][8]
Connecticut Connecticuter Nutmegger[2], Connecticotian, Connecticutensian[9], Connecticutian
Delaware Delawarean Blue Hen's Chicken, Muskrat[10]
District of Columbia Washingtonian
Florida Floridian Floridan
Georgia Georgian Buzzard, Goober-grabber, Sand-hiller[11]
Hawaii Hawaiian Malihini (newcomer)[2], Kamaʻāina (native-born nonethnic Hawaiian)[2], Hawaii Resident, Islander[12]
Idaho Idahoan
Illinois Illinoisan Illinoisian, Flatlander, Sand-hiller, Egyptian[13]
Indiana Indianan Hoosier[14] (official state designation), Indianian[2] (archaic)
Iowa Iowan Hawkeye, Iowegian
Kansas Kansan Sunflower, Grasshopper[15]
Kentucky Kentuckian
Louisiana Louisianan Louisianais in french
Maine Mainer Down Easter or Downeaster[16], Mainiac[17], Pine Tree, Fox, Lumberjack[10]
Maryland Marylander
Massachusetts Massachusettsan Sal, Masshole[18], Bay Stater (official term used by state government)[19], Massachusite (traditional)[20][21]
Michigan Michiganian Michigander[2], Michiganer, Michiganese, Michigine, Wolverine[22][23], Michiganite[24], Yooper/Troll (for residents of the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula, respectively)[25]
Minnesota Minnesotan Mud Duck
Mississippi Mississippian Stumpjumper
Missouri Missourian Bushwacker
Montana Montanan
Nebraska Nebraskan Cornhusker
Nevada Nevadan Nevadian[2]
New Hampshire New Hampshirite Granite Boy, New Hampshireman[26]
New Jersey New Jerseyan New Jerseyite[2]
New Mexico New Mexican Nuevomexicano
New York New Yorker
North Carolina North Carolinian Tar Boiler[27], Tar Heel, North Carolinan
North Dakota North Dakotan
Ohio Ohioan Buckeye[28]
Oklahoma Oklahoman Okie[29], Sooner[30]
Oregon Oregonian Oregoner
Pennsylvania Pennsylvanian Coal Cracker
Rhode Island Rhode Islander Swamp Yankee[31]
South Carolina South Carolinian Sand Lapper, South Carolinan
South Dakota South Dakotan
Tennessee Tennessean Volunteer, Big Bender, Butternut[32]
Texas Texan Texian (Anglo-Texan - historical)[33], Tejano (Mexican-Texan)
Utah Utahn Utonian, Utahan[2]
Vermont Vermonter
Virginia Virginian
Washington Washingtonian
West Virginia West Virginian Mountaineer
Wisconsin Wisconsinite Cheesehead,[34][35] Wisconsinian, Sconnie
Wyoming Wyomingite Wyoman

See also

References

  1. ^ United States Government Printing Office Style Manual (2000), §5.23, http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2008_style_manual&docid=f:chapter5.pdf
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j SHG Resources, http://www.shgresources.com/resources/symbols/names/residentnames/
  3. ^ William Safire, On Language: Foam Fell on Alabama, New York Times, June 26, 1994. Safire reports that after he used the word "Alabaman" in a column, he received a letter from Vic Gold that said in part, "The natives, I have learned to my sorrow, prefer Alabamian."
  4. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/az_intro.htm
  5. ^ "Arkansawyer definition - Dictionary - MSN Encarta". Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. http://www.webcitation.org/5kwtEUWxV. 
  6. ^ http://dictionary.infoplease.com/arkie
  7. ^ Writers Style Guide, Colorado State University, page 62, accessed January 2, 2009: "The correct name for a person from Colorado is Coloradan (not Coloradoan)."
  8. ^ Ed Quillen, Coloradan or Coloradoan?, The Denver Post, March 18, 2007
  9. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/ct_intro.htm
  10. ^ a b http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/de_intro.htm
  11. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/ga_intro.htm
  12. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/hi_intro.htm
  13. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/il_intro.htm
  14. ^ The term Hoosier is the official state designation for a state resident. The term was once considered derogatory, but is now a point of pride for Hoosiers. See the Indiana Historical Bureau article entitled What is a Hoosier? for the origin of the term.
  15. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/ks_intro.htm
  16. ^ The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2007. New York: World Almanac Books. 2006. ISBN# 978-0-88687-995-2
  17. ^ Mainiac, Time magazine, Monday, Jun. 20, 1938 (term used in reference to Maine author Kenneth Roberts)
  18. ^ [1]
  19. ^ "Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 2, Section 35: Designation of citizens of commonwealth". The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/2-35.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-29. : "Bay Staters shall be the official designation of citizens of the commonwealth."
  20. ^ _____, page 435. Collections, Massachusetts Historical Society. MHS, Boston; 1877. Additional on-line source: Google Books.
  21. ^ Jones, Thomas, page 465. History of New York During the Revolutionary War, New York Historical Society. Edward Floyd DeLancey, Ed., New York; 1879. Additional on-line source: Google Books
  22. ^ Marckwardt, Albert H., "Wolverine and Michigander", Michigan Alumnus Quarterly Review LVIII (1952) 203-208
  23. ^ Sperber, Hans "Words and Phrases in American Politics: Michigander" American Speech Vol 29 No 1 (Feb 1954) 21-27
  24. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/mi_intro.htm
  25. ^ http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-54504_50206_54518-184577--,00.html
  26. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/nh_intro.htm
  27. ^ Powell, William S. (March 1982). "What's in a Name?: Why We're All Called Tar Heels". Tar Heel (Tar Heel Magazine, Inc.). OCLC 005457348. http://alumni.unc.edu/article.asp?SID=3516. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
  28. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/oh_intro.htm
  29. ^ Stewart, Roy P. "Postal Card Proves Sooners Were 'Okies' Way Back In 1907", The Daily Oklahoman, Friday, December 20, 1968, pg. 9, col. 2. "Now comes Mrs. Agness Hooks of Thomas with a postal card mailed at Newcastle, Ind. in 1907, address to a Miss Agness Kirkbridge, with the salutation: "Hello Okie — Will see you next Monday night." Signed: Myrtle M. Pence. Mrs. Hooks says Agness Kirkbridge was an aunt of hers. The Kirkbridge family came to Oklahoma Territory in 1904 and settled south of Custer City.
  30. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/ok_intro.htm
  31. ^ http://www.projo.com/ri/charlestown/content/SC_SWAMPCOL_02-29-08_UH95CTL_v43.1d42eee.html
  32. ^ http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/tn_intro.htm
  33. ^ *de la Teja, Jesus F. (1997). "The Colonization and Independence of Texas: A Tejano Perspective". In Rodriguez O., Jaime E.; Vincent, Kathryn. Myths, Misdeeds, and Misunderstandings: The Roots of Conflict in U.S.–Mexican Relations. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources Inc.. p. 79. ISBN 0-8420-2662-2. 
  34. ^ Kapler, Joseph, Jr. (Spring 2002). On Wisconsin Icons: When You Say 'Wisconsin', What Do You Say?. Wisconsin Historical Society. pp. 18–31. http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/wmh/pdf/wmh_spring02_kapler.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-29. 
  35. ^ Foamation: About Us. Foamation. http://www.cheesehead.com/aboutus.asp. Retrieved 2009-04-29.