Why are Geordies so called?

Answer 1

Because they refused to change to the new improved miners lights and stuck to the old fashioned "Geordie" lantern!

...local miners used "Geordie" safety lamps, designed by George Stephenson in 1815, rather than the "Davy lamps" designed by Humphry Davy which were used in other mining communities.

OR

Newcastle publisher Frank Graham's Geordie Dictionary states:

"The origin of the word Geordie has been a matter of much discussion and controversy. All the explanations are fanciful and not a single piece of genuine evidence has ever been produced."
In Graham's many years of research, the earliest record he has found of the term's use was in 1823 by the famous local comedian, Billy Purvis. Purvis had set up a booth at the Newcastle Races on the Town Moor. In an angry tirade against a rival showman, who had hired a young pitman called Tom Johnson to dress as a clown, Billy cried out to the clown:

"Ah man, wee but a feul wad hae sold off his furnitor and left his wife. Noo, yor a fair doon reet feul, not an artificial feul like Billy Purvis! Thous a real Geordie! gan man an hide thysel! gan an' get thy picks agyen. Thou may de for the city, but never for the west end o' wor toon."
(Rough translation: "Oh man, who but a fool would have sold off his furniture and left his wife? Now, you're a fair downright fool, not an artificial fool like Billy Purvis! You're a real Geordie! Go, man, and hide yourself! Go and get your pick (axes) again. You may do for the city, but never for the west end of our town!")


Judging by this account, Geordie meant "fool" in 1823.

Answer 2

Franja is rght

Newcastle area miners stuck to a safety lamp designed by George Stephenson of railway fame, and known as a Geordie long after other parts of the UK had adopted the later Davey safety lamp
Both these lamps were designed not to ignite pockets of methane gas found in mines, which the simple oil lamps and candles used previously had caused to explode.

Answer 3

There's different theories on this, but the most convincing I've heard is that it relates to Newcastle's allegiance to King George.

At a time when the rest of Northumbria was composed largely of rebel Jacobites, Newcastle remained loyal to the King. Presumably because, unlike the surrounding rural area, they were largely dependent on industry and thus royal patronage. So inhabitants of Newcastle were termed 'Georgies', which was later bastardized to 'Geordies'.

Some people stick to the miner;s lamp explanation - they might be right but I find it unconvincing because the term crops up in literature that predates industrial mining.

Answer 4

When referring to people, as opposed to the dialect, the traditional definition of a Geordie is "someone born within sight of the River Tyne" akin to the way a Cockney is defined as "someone born within hearing distance of the Bow bells."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geordies
hope this helps :)

Answer 5

The same reason Scots are called Jimmy.

Answer 6

Mmm don't know, but need to answer so I can find out if anybody does.

Answer 7

'cos it's windy in the north east ! (we spell it 'cold' down south )