Welsh people () are an ethnic group native to, or otherwise associated with, Wales and the Welsh language. The language was historically spoken throughout Wales, with its direct ancestor Old British once spoken throughout most of the British mainland. While Welsh remains the predominant language in some areas of Wales, English is the predominant language in most parts of the country. The names “Wales” and “Welsh” are traced to the Proto-Germanic word “Walhaz” meaning “foreigner”, “stranger”, “Roman”, “Romance-speaker”, or “Celtic-speaker” which was used by the ancient Germanic peoples to describe inhabitants of the former Roman Empire, who were largely romanised and spoke Latin or Celtic languages. The same etymological origin is shared by the names of various other Celtic or Latin peoples such as the Walloons and the Vlachs, as well as of the Swiss canton of Valais. John Davies argues that the origin of the “Welsh nation” can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have been spoken in Wales far longer. The term Welsh people applies to people from Wales and people of Welsh ancestry perceiving themselves or being perceived as sharing a cultural heritage and shared ancestral origins. Today, Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, and the majority of people living in Wales are British citizens. An analysis of the geography of Welsh surnames commissioned by the Welsh Government found that 718,000 people, or nearly 35% of the Welsh population, have a family name of Welsh origin, compared with 5.3% in the rest of the United Kingdom, 4.7% in New Zealand, 4.1% in Australia, and 3.8% in the United States, with an estimated 16.3 million people in the countries studied having Welsh ancestry. There are over 300,000 Welsh people living in London alone.
