This article deals with the history of the word Britain. For clarification of terminology and an overview of articles about Britain and Ireland see British Isles (terminology). The British Isles The various terms used to describe the different (and sometimes overlapping) geographical and political regions of the islands traditionally referred to collectively as the British Isles is often a source of confusion for people from other parts of the world, and indeed, for the inhabitants of those...

The word Britain is used to refer to

• the island of Great Britain which consists of the nations of England, Scotland and Wales.
• the United Kingdom (U.K.)
• sometimes the Roman province called "Britain" or "Britannia"

The word British generally means belonging to or associated with Britain in one of the first two senses above (i.e. the United Kingdom or the island of Great Britain). However, the term has a range of related usages (see British). Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages with Official Status1 English Scottish Gaelic Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English, Welsh Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff First Minister Rhodri Morgan Area  - Total Ranked 3rd UK 20,779 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 3rd UK 2,903,085 140/km² Ethnicity: 97. ... Principal sites in Roman Britain Roman Britain is the term applied to that part of Britain lying within the Roman Empire (which never extended to the whole island). ...

Etymologically, these words are closely related to Brittany, the name of the western French peninsula, and its adjective Breton. Traditional coat of arms This article is about the historical duchy and French province, as well as the cultural area of Brittany. ...

Earliest attested references

• Pretaniké; Pretanikai nesoi (Pretanic isles) - 325 BC
• Britannia - 55 BC (Julius Caesar, Roman invasion of Britain)
• Brittisc - 855 (OED)
• Grate Briteigne - 1548 (OED)
• British isles - 1550 (in Latin; map of Sebastian Munster cited in British Isles article)

Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC - 320s BC - 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 330 BC 329 BC 328 BC 327 BC 326 BC - 325 BC - 324 BC 323 BC 322... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC - 50s BC - 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56 BC 55 BC 54 BC 53 BC 52... Bust of Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (Classical Latin: IMP·C·IVLIVS·CAESAR·DIVVS¹) (b. ... Roman invasion of Britain: Britain was the target of invasion by forces of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire several times during its history. ... Events Louis II succeeds Lothar as western emperor. ... The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a comprehensive dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP). ... Events Mary I of Scotland sent to France Births September 2 - Vincenzo Scamozzi, Italian architect (died 1616) September 29 - William V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1626) Francesco Andreini, Italian actor (died 1624) Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher, astronomer, and occultist (burned at the stake) 1600 (died 1600) Honda Tadakatsu, Japanese general... The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a comprehensive dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP). ... Events February 7 - Julius III becomes Pope. ... Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Portrait of Sebastian Münster by Christoph Amberger, c. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ...

Etymology

The etymology of the name Britain is thought to derive from a Celtic word, Pritani, "painted", a reference to the inhabitants of the islands' use of body-paint and tattoos. (The 17th century discovery that the pre-Roman, pre-Anglo-Saxon languages of Britain and Ireland were related to those of ancient continental Celts led to this appelation eventually being applied to these languages, and to the peoples themselves, although they would not have identified themselves as Celts.) If this is true, there is an interesting parallel with the name Pict, connected with a Latin word of the same meaning. The modern Welsh name for Britain is Prydain. Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Prydain is the Welsh name of the island of Britain. ...

It has also been postulated that Britain may derive from the Celtic goddess Brigid.

In 325 BC the Greek explorer Pytheas of Massalia visited a group of islands which he called Pretaniké, the principal ones being Albionon (Albion) and Ierne (Erin). The records of this visit date from much more recent times, so there is room for these details to be disputed, but it does seem to attest pre-Roman use of the name by Celtic-speaking inhabitants of the islands. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC - 320s BC - 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 330 BC 329 BC 328 BC 327 BC 326 BC - 325 BC - 324 BC 323 BC 322... Pytheas (c. ... The white cliffs of Dover Albion (in Ptolemy Alouion), is the most ancient name of Great Britain, though often used to refer specifically to England. ... For the town in Ontario see Erin, Ontario. ...

Britain and Brittany

The original reference seems to have been to the territory in which the Brythonic languages were spoken, which more or less coincided with the Roman province of Britannia, an area equivalent to modern England, Wales and southern Scotland. In the Early Middle Ages speakers of a Brythonic language which later evolved into Breton migrated from Cornwall to Armorica, Western France, possibly because of pressure from Saxon invasions. This is why different forms of the same name apply to insular Britain and continental Brittany. In French the similarity is even more obvious: Bretagne and Grande Bretagne. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family. ... Traditional coat of arms This article is about the historical duchy and French province, as well as the cultural area of Brittany. ... Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast. ...

Geoffrey of Monmouth used the names Britannia minor to refer to the Armorican region and Britannia major for the island. The element great in the term Great Britain thus simply means large, to make the distinction from Brittany. Geoffrey of Monmouth was a clergyman and one of the major figures in the development of British history. ...

Semantic evolution of the term Britain

The kingdoms established on the island of Great Britain were perceived to be dominant over the whole archipelago, which thus came to be known as the British Isles. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, the queen's astrologer and alchemist, John Dee, wrote mystical volumes predicting a British Empire and using the terms Great Britain and Britannia. After Elizabeth's death in 1603 the kingdoms shared one King, James VI of Scotland and I of England. On 20 October 1604 he proclaimed himself "King of Great Brittaine" (thus including Wales and also avoiding the cumbersome title "King of England and Scotland"). This title was eventually adopted formally in 1707 when the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed. The adjective used for the kingdom was British. An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603 ) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... A sixteenth century portrait of John Dee, artist unknown. ... King James I of England/VII of Scotland, the first monarch to rule the Kingdoms of England and Scotland at the same time Events March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James VI of Scotland, uniting the crowns of Scotland and England April... James VI of Scots and James I of England and Ireland (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) ruled England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. ... October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 72 days remaining. ... Events January 14 – Hampton Court conference with James I of England, the Anglican bishops and representatives of Puritans September 20 – Capture of Ostend by Spanish forces under Ambrosio Spinola after a three year siege. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English, Welsh Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff First Minister Rhodri Morgan Area  - Total Ranked 3rd UK 20,779 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 3rd UK 2,903,085 140/km² Ethnicity: 97. ... Events January 1 - John V is crowned King of Portugal March 26 - The Act of Union becomes law, making the separate Kingdoms of England and Scotland into one country, the Kingdom of Great Britain. ... Kingdom of Great Britain The Union Flag (1606-1800) The Kingdom of Great Britain, also sometimes known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was created by the merging of the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England under the 1707 Act of Union to create a single kingdom...

Since its formation, the kingdom was enlarged in 1801 by the addition of the island of Ireland - already ruled by the British monarchy - to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and was then reduced in 1922 by the independence of the Irish Free State, now the Republic of Ireland. The name of the kingdom changed accordingly, in 1927 becoming The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. To some writers the meaning of British and Britain have changed with the Kingdom. The words British citizen is now used to indicate United Kingdom (UK) nationality because there is no suitable substitute. However, to other writers Britain is still synonymous with only the island of Great Britain. 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Union Flag, in its modern form, was first adopted in 1801. ... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was (1922–1937) the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties which were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and... 1927 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... ...

Other terms also cause confusion. Great Britain is undisputedly the name of the large island, but is often used to refer to the country, notably in the modern Olympic Games. As abbreviations, both UK and GB are often used for the United Kingdom, while GB is only rarely restricted to Great Britain. The British Isles is still a geographical term for the archipelago, but it can also still be seen as implying dominance by Great Britain, so it is sometimes avoided. The Olympic Games, or Olympics, is an international multi-sport event taking place every two years and alternating between Summer and Winter Games. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ...

Brutus of Troy

In keeping with the mediaeval penchant for etymologising country names in terms of eponomous heroes, English historians of the late mediaeval and early modern periods charted the history of the nation from Brutus of Troy, supposedly a hero of the Trojan war who founded Britain just as Aeneaus' descendant Romulus founded Rome, Frankus France, and so forth. The life of Brutus, anglicised as Brute, was recorded in the literary tradition of the Prose Brute. This was long accepted as the etymology of Britain. Brutus of Troy, also of Britain (Welsh: Bryttys), was the legendary founding king of Britain and great grandson of Aeneas, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth. ...

See also

• List of country name etymologies
• List of United Kingdom topics
• British Isles
• United Kingdom
• Great Britain
• Kingdom of Great Britain
• Constitutional status of Cornwall The Cornish question
• Acts of Union 1536-1543 merging the Kingdom of England and the Principality of Wales
• Act of Union 1707 merging Scotland and England to form Great Britain
• History of Britain
• History of England
• History of Scotland
• History of Wales
• British Kings
• List of British monarchs

This list covers English language country names with their etymologies. ... Shortcut: UK topics This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ... Kingdom of Great Britain The Union Flag (1606-1800) The Kingdom of Great Britain, also sometimes known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was created by the merging of the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England under the 1707 Act of Union to create a single kingdom... The constitutional status of Cornwall, in the southwest of Great Britain, is the subject of ongoing debate. ... The Acts of Union 1536–1543 were a series of parliamentary measures by which Wales was annexed to England and the norms of English administration introduced in order to create a single state. ... Prince Albert of Monaco on the left represents a principality where he wields adminisitrative authority. ... Walter Thomas Monningtons 1925 painting called Parliamentary Union of England and Scotland 1707 hangs in the Palace of Westminster depicting the official presentation of the law that formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain. ... The History of Britain, until the last few hundred years, was one of struggle and competition between the separate nation-states that occupied various parts of the island of Great Britain. ... England is the largest and most populous of the four main divisions of the United Kingdom. ... Stirling Castle has stood for centuries atop a volcanic crag defending the lowest ford of the River Forth. ... The earliest inhabitants of Wales were from continental Europe, who migrated in several waves and who were later subsumed into the culture and race of the Celts. ... This is a list of British monarchs, that is, the monarchs on the thrones of some of the various kingdoms that have existed on, or incorporated, the island of Great Britain, namely: England (united with Wales from 1536) up to 1707; Scotland up to 1707; The Kingdom of Great Britain... This is a list of British monarchs, that is, the monarchs on the thrones of some of the various kingdoms that have existed on, or incorporated, the island of Great Britain, namely: England (united with Wales from 1536) up to 1707; Scotland up to 1707; The Kingdom of Great Britain...

Sources and further reading

• A History of Britain: At the Edge of the World, 3000 BC - 1603 AD by Simon Schama, BBC/Miramax, 2000 ISBN 0786866756
• A History of Britain, Volume 2: The Wars of the British 1603-1776 by Simon Schama, BBC/Miramax, 2001 ISBN 0786866756
• A History of Britain - The Complete Collection on DVD by Simon Schama, BBC 2002
• The Isles, A History by Norman Davies, Oxford University Press, 1999, ISBN 0195134427
• Shortened History of England by G. M. Trevelyan Penguin Books ISBN 0140233237
• Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English by Eric Partridge, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1966

There have been many books called A History of Britain. ... Photo of Simon Schama by Robert Birnbaum Professor Simon Schama, MA (born 1945) is University Professor in history and art history at Columbia University. ... Photo of Simon Schama by Robert Birnbaum Professor Simon Schama, MA (born 1945) is University Professor in history and art history at Columbia University. ... Photo of Simon Schama by Robert Birnbaum Professor Simon Schama, MA (born 1945) is University Professor in history and art history at Columbia University. ... Prof. ... George Macaulay Trevelyan (February 16, 1876 – 1962) was an English historian, son of Sir George Otto Trevelyan and great-nephew of Thomas Macaulay. ... ...

External links

• Sir Peter Maxwell - A satirical look at the British class system through the eyes of an aristocratic billionaire
• British History Online
• cyberbritain