How do you define somebody who is British?

[Sharpshooter]

We know people tend to think of English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish as ethnicities and British as a civic identity, but does anyone regard British as an ethnic identity as well?

FWIW I was born and raised in England, parents are both Irish (mum from NI, dad from ROI). I do write my nationality down as British on forms although I suspect there will be those who object to that depending whether or not they allow ethnic Irish to identify as British.

What do you think? Anyone who is born here is British or do you need to have ancestral ties?

[Anglo-Celtic]

I have both British and Irish forebears, and I say "British" as it encompasses English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, Cornish, etc.. It's easier than reciting an annoying list that no one wants to hear.

[Creoda]

Ethnic English, Welsh and Scottish/Ulster Scots background, and for Irish it's flexible - there are three crosses on the Union Jack afterall.

Yes I consider British a loose ethnic identity. Deriving most of your ancestry from those islands called 'British' for millennia, having a common language, a common Celto-Germanic ancestry, and a heavily intertwined history can not only be dismissed as a civic identity, and it's only because it's a state with so many foreigners living there that such is done - I don't see any controversy with the concept of ethnic Scandinavians for example.

[Mortimer]

First option. Celto-Germanic white person of Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English, Cornish etc. origins going back to the bellbeakers, anglo-saxons, celts, some vikings norse, normans etc. but someone going back to cheddar man.

[Rædwald]

The second option isn't valid. A mouse born in a stable is not a horse.

[Colonel Frank Grimes]

One is a British national of British ancestry. The other is a British national of whatever ancestry they may be.

[Ayetooey]

Would a Breton who moved to Britain be considered honorary British? They’re genetically connected to Britain, more so than a pure Irishman. The only difference would be a minor cultural one but that would disappear after a generation.

[Daco Celtic]

Ethnic English, Welsh and Scottish/Ulster Scots background, and for Irish it's flexible - there are three crosses on the Union Jack afterall.

Yes I consider British a loose ethnic identity. Deriving most of your ancestry from those islands called 'British' for millennia, having a common language, a common Celto-Germanic ancestry, and a heavily intertwined history can not only be dismissed as a civic identity, and it's only because it's a state with so many foreigners living there that such is done - I don't see any controversy with the concept of ethnic Scandinavians for example.

Not for Munster Irish. It's an emphatic no.

[Creoda]

Would a Breton who moved to Britain be considered honorary British? They’re genetically connected to Britain, more so than a pure Irishman. The only difference would be a minor cultural one but that would disappear after a generation.

If they renounce Frenchness and spit on the tricolore, yeah.

[Anglo-Celtic]

Not for Munster Irish. It's an emphatic no.

Mortimer says that there's no difference (an Englishman is just the same as an Irishman). Don't shoot the messenger.