What Do You Call Someone From The Isle of Wight? (Revealed!)

Someone from the Isle of Wight is often called a “Caulkhead” or sometimes simply an “Islander”. Island residents are also sometimes called Vectensians or Vectians, ultimately after the Roman name for the island. In terms of nationality, though, people from the Isle of Wight are British citizens, and this may be how they identify.

The Isle of Wight is in many ways its own rich cultural tapestry that is as distinct from Britain or England as Cyprus is from Greece.

With that in mind, then, there is certainly a sense in which it is very important “Caulkheads” to establish their own, separate identity from the mainland; but it’s a complex question nonetheless.

Let’s find out more.

In This Article

What is someone from the Isle of Wight called?

Someone from the Isle of Wight may go by a few different terms, but among the most common are either “Caulkhead” or the simpler “Islander”.

These are both widely used and understood by natives and non-locals on the island to mean someone who is born and bred on the Isle of Wight.

At the same time, though, the term could more generally mean someone who lives on the island, whether they were born there or whether they moved there at a later date.

Of course, people who live on the Isle of Wight have no separate legal distinction from the people of the United Kingdom: they are British citizens in the sense of their nationality.

This, of course, is not to suggest they have no distinct identity; quite the opposite.

If anything, the question of one’s legal nationality, very much a recent idea and invention, is very often far less important to someone’s identity than their ancestry and upbringing.

“Caulkheads” is the most widely used term, and it’s thought that this relates to the use of caulk in repairing leaks in boats.

Naturally, shipping was very important to the island for transport and the economy.

“Islander” is a simpler term to understand, simply referring to someone who lives on an island.

Most prefer the term Caulkhead, though.

On the other hand, you do also sometimes hear the original Latin names for the island used by locals and non-locals to describe the residents of the island.

Vectensian is the most common of these, though you’ll also hear the simpler Vectian.

The Roman name for the Isle of Wight was Vectis, and so as a name for the people it stuck to an extent; this, though, is far less common.

Where does the name “Isle of Wight” come from?

The ultimate name of the Isle of Wight is believed to derive from a Celtic root, and though there are many names for it in different languages today and throughout time, they all relate to this meaning.

The oldest recorded names for the island are the Latin Vectis or Vecta.

In Old English it was called Wiht, and Old Welsh Gueid or Guith.

Though the precise Celtic origin of the word has been lost, it is believed that the name topologically means one of two things: either the “place of the division”, most likely in the sense of the division between England and the mainland, or “the island that lifts up out of the sea”.

The old Roman name for it probably derives from the name that the locals gave it in the distant past, though of course we can never quite be sure.

Importantly, the term “wight” in the sense of a demon or sometimes living dead or spirit is not related to the name of the island.

What language is spoken in the Isle of Wight?

Unsurprisingly, the language spoken in the Isle of Wight is English.

There are of course some significant dialectal differences between English spoken on the Isle of Wight and spoken elsewhere, but they are absolutely the same language.

The local accent is often compared to the general dialect of Hampshire, the county to which the Isle has historically belonged.

Some consonants are dropped and there is greater emphasis on long vowel sounds.

This is really all there is to say about the local language today.

It is English and unlike some areas of Britain like Wales and Cornwall, there is no surviving local Celtic language.

People in the Isle of Wight speak English.

What do Caulkheads call non-locals?

Those who are native to the Isle of Wight are no strangers to non-locals on their shores, given the popularity of the Isle as a holiday destination for those from the mainland.

Often, in the Isle of Wight, the term “wet leg” is used to describe those who come to the island on daytrips or as holiday makers.

This is thought to simply be a reference to the way people would have to get their legs wet climbing off the boats to walk ashore, although of course there are piers and places to land nowadays that mean you don’t really have to do this.

The name, unsurprisingly, just stuck!

So, ethnically speaking, then people from the Isle of Wight today come from much the same ethnic stock as the population on the mainland.

But the cultural identity of the island remains a mixed bag, and even regardless of ethnicity many islanders do feel themselves to be something distinct from the British nationality to which they are assigned.

These questions are always more complex than you might at first think.

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Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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