Do you consider yourself to be British or English?

Question

I consider myself to be English, but isn't it annoying on forms when thats not an opition?
I'm English because I was born in England and have 100's of years of English heritage in my family.
Surely being labelled British, means holder of a British passport?
Correct me if I'm wrong, what do you think?

Answer 1

Gotta say that I feel English - for similar reasons to you.
However, I suspect that our official nationality is British irrespective of whether we have a passport or not.
Give it a couple of decades and we'll all just be European.

Answer 2

English

Answer 3

It's a confusing issue because I was born in the United States, my family came from Mexico, they have been there for over hundreds of years, but they're not "mexican" they are mostly spanish, middle eastern, french, german, and some other races. And hispanic and latino don't mean mexican, I'm not sure exactally what they mean but they are terms to describe white people born in latin american countries or spaniards born in latin america. And when I fill out forms I only have the options latino or hispanic to fill out
England is the country, Britain is the island containing England, Scottland, and some other countries.
Either way what matters is who you are and what is on the inside, not some label of "British", "Mexican" "Hispanic" or "English"

Answer 4

I know what you mean. I've filled some forms in where they get it mixed up and ask if your british or pakistani british or chinese british and all that. I think they sometimes get nationality mixed up with ancestory. So someone could be British cos they were born here, but they are clearly of african/asian whatever heritage. I would consider myself English as you do cos i've got a lot of history here but i would imagine it would be more difficult for a person of pakistani background to call themselves English. Bit confusing actually, maybe i got it wrong. Its too late for this kind of thinkin i reckon, i should go back to bed.

Answer 5

When answering where I come from on an international forum. I say from England, or from Sussex, England, part of the British Isles. I do NOT use UK or Great Britain or Britain.

Occasionally when it is relevant I might say UK, but that would be one in 200. Once in 20, I might specify southern England as distinct from the north (which is quite distinctive) and one in 20, I might say coastal England instead of the inlanders (even more distinctive).

France is a darn sight nearer than Scotland (where I have never been to) than France (which I have). However, I meet more Scotch people (men) than Frenchies. However, I meet more people who go to France regularly (about 20 times more) than go to Scotland by frequency of visit. I know more people who have married French girls or emigrated to France than to Ireland, Wales and Scotland put together.

I would go to Wales and Cornwall more often than France. Even Yorkshire and Tyneside and Lancashire, I would go more often than France. However, I meet more French girls than Scottish.

In short, Brimingham is a foreign country. I do not understand the language, although some sort of communication is possible.The Oxford accent, I find difficult to understand. Northern Irish is practically impossible or extremely difficult.

Answer 6

Gotta consider myself Canadian of British Heritage. My family is of English origin, as former citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Great Britain celebrates 300 years this year 1707 - 2007. I also consider myself to be a member of the Commonwealth.

Answer 7

English nationalism is a fairly recent phenomenon of only the past ten years or so when before most people in England regarded Britain = England I think its the renewed self determination of Scotland and to a lesser degree Wales that has finally woken up John Bull. The Union is in danger

Answer 8

With Scotland Nationalists all raging on about their independance, and them spending 100 million on Holyrood parliament... and having their own government for local powers... and often aload in Wales dissing England all the time... more and more I put English to describe my Nationality.

Its a shame... the British Union works well... we are close neighbours and share British values.... but I can't stand any more of their England bashing and feverant nationalistic tendancies.

Answer 9

It's funny because even though people are from England they're called British. You'd think they'd be called English but they're not. It's British. That's what I've always heard.

Answer 10

In the past I would have said both …English & British…but the government has done its best to break up the union with Devolution (despite Gordon Brown's recent hypocritical comments).

Scotland & Wales want to assert their separate identities & so now…I would like to say English...

...erm..even though I have a Welsh surname :)