Ethnicity: English
The English people have a long and varied history. Descended from Celtic Britons and other Germanic tribes, they were collectively known as Anglo-Saxons. Many are speculated to be the descendants of Vikings.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Mary, Almira, Avis, Benedicta, Blythe, Camilla, Cassandra, Diana, Deborah, Erita, Hernrietta, Iris, Isadora, Josepha, Judith, Kezia, Marina, Oliva, Pamela, Phillis, Rosamund, Sabina, Selina, Violetta, Wilhelma, Faith, Dove, Joy, Judah
Masculine names
John, Able, Caleb, Bartholemew, Asher, Answell, Duncan, Elias, Elijah, Felix, Marcus, Moses, Matthias, Isreal, Owen, Sebastian, Uriah, Valentine, Zachary, Benjamin, Solomon, Fortune, Clare, Adam, Peter
Unisex names
Clare, Allen, Christian
Family names
Andrews, Bain, Blackwood, Caulfield, Darrell, Eaton, Fyre, Gage, Hale, Ingham, Jacobson, Kemp, Langdon, Mark, Nelson, Oakley, Palmer, Quick, Randall, Sanders, Tatham, Upton, Vann, Wallace, Yates
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Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Dialects
- Geordie - Northeast
- Yorkshire - Central and Lower North
- Lancashire - Central Lancashire
- Scouse - Merseyside
- Manchester - Northwest Midlands
- Brummie - West Midlands
- East Midlands - East, North, and South Midlands
- West Country - Southwest
- East Anglian - East Anglia
- London/ Estuary - London
Culture and cultural heritage
British humor is one that holds little back -especially when it comes to innuendos and black humor.
Art & Architecture
In the early 18th century, English painting's distinct style and the tradition continued to concentrate frequently on portraiture, but interest in landscapes increased, and a new focus was placed on history painting, which was regarded as the highest of the hierarchy of genres. The pastoral genre grew in popularity, as well as relaxed portraits.
Books of Importance
- King James Bible (1611)
- The Cantebury Tales (1400)
- The Magna Carta (1215)
The architecture consists of mostly stone and wood, with thatched roofing for rural homes and tiled roofing for city homes. Outstanding examples include:
- Cantebury Cathedral (500-1174) gothic
- Tower of London (1078)
- Wesminster Abbey (1245)
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
- Plough Sunday - Englishmen bring their plows to church to have them be blessed before the beginning of the agricultural year.
- Mayday - May 1st
- Wassailing
Coming of Age Rites
With parental permission, it was legal for boys to get married at 14, and girls at 12, but this was highly unusual. The age of consent was 21, and most men got married at this age.
Funerary and Memorial customs
A maiden's garland is used as a memento for a passed young female, usually if she was a virgin. Made of paper flowers on a wooden garland, and is afterwards displayed in the church.
Common Myths and Legends
- Robin Hood (dating back to the 1300s)
- Jack the Giant Killer Story (1711)
- King Arthur (early 12th century)
- Boudica (British folk hero, AD 60)
Historical figures
- William Shakespere
- John Newton
- Oliver Cromwell
- Elizabeth 1 (1558-1603)
- Guy Fawkes
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Legally, socially, and culturally, men were superior to women in pretty much every way except when it came to the home. Men worked and provided for the home while the women cooked and raised the children (if any). Women were very much 'second-class citizens'. Regardless of their social standing, they were expected to marry. Single women who were thought to be witches by their neighbors.
Courtship Ideals
For the most part, both men and women had little choice in who they courted/married. Marriages were made for monetary/land gain, so some families paired up their children simply to get richer or have more land. Many couples would meet for the first time on their wedding day.
Relationship Ideals
Relationships in the 18th century, in general, were usually strained, and for the most part, couples had to deal with it, nothing truly romantic out of books. Divorce was expensive, and for a good part of the 18th century, seen as going against God's will. People married to have children, and that was mostly it. The law gave a husband full rights over his wife - she effectively became his property.
Major organizations
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