List of ethnic sports team and mascot names

Many sports teams are named for an ethnic group or similar category of people. Though these names typically refer to a group native to the area in which the sports team is based, many teams take their names from groups which are known for their strength (such as Spartans or Vikings), despite not being located near the historic homes of these groups.

Professional teams

American

Allen Americans (ECHL) – Allen, Texas, USA
Houston Texans (National Football League) – Houston, Texas, USA
New York Knicks (NBA), the name "Knick" is a shortened version of the word "Knickerbocker", a term which comes from a pseudonym used by Washington Irving in his book, A History of New York. The term was used to refer to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of New York. Later, by extension, the term was used to describe New Yorkers in general.
New York Yankees (Major League Baseball) – New York City, New York, USA
Rochester Americans (American Hockey League) – Rochester, New York, USA
Tri-City Americans (Western Hockey League) – Kennewick, Washington, USA

Bavarians

FC Bayern Munich (Association football) – Munich, Germany

Boers

Indios del Bóer ("Indians of the Boer") (Baseball) - Managua, Nicaragua

Canadian

Canadians in general

Vancouver Canucks (National Hockey League) – Vancouver, British Columbia

French Canadians

Les Canadiennes de Montréal (Canadian Women's Hockey League) – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Montreal Canadiens (National Hockey League) – Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Celtic/Irish

Boston Celtics (NBA) – Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Celta de Vigo – Galician football team whose name reflects Celtic people.
Celtic FC – Scottish football team whose name reflects Celtic people, both Scottish and Irish.
Hibernian FC – Scottish football club reflecting Irish origins.
London Irish (Premiership Rugby) – Brentford, Greater London, England

Indigenous peoples

Italian

Brooklyn Italians – U.S. Football (soccer) team based in Brooklyn, New York
Audax Italiano – Chilean Football club based in La Florida

Maccabees

Poles

Polonia Warsaw – Polish Football (soccer) team, founded when Poland was not an independent country

Roslagen

Rospiggarna (Allsvenskan)

Saxons

The England Saxons, the country's second men's rugby union XV, formerly known as England A

Scots/Highlanders

Edmonton Scottish (AMSL) – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Highlanders, a team based in Otago, New Zealand, named for the Scottish population of the area.
London Scottish F.C. (RFU Championship) – Richmond, London, England
Victoria Highlanders (USL League Two) – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Spaniards

Deportivo Español, Parque Avellaneda, Argentina
RCD Espanyol, Barcelona
Real Club España, Mexico City
San Diego Padres (MLB), San Diego, California, USA
Unión Española, Independencia, Chile

Alavese

Deportivo Alavés, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Asturians

Asturias F.C., Mexico City

Viking

Canberra Raiders (NRL) – Canberra, Australia – viking logo
Canberra Vikings (NRC) – Canberra, Australia
Minnesota Vikings (NFL) – Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Viking FK (Eliteserien) – Stavanger, Norway
Víkingur (Úrvalsdeild) – Reykjavík, Iceland

School and youth teams

Arabs

Coachella Valley High School, Coachella, California, USA. The nickname has been changed to "Mighty Arabs" and the cartoonish "Arab" mascot and logo have been retired.^[1]

Athenians

Mount St. Mary's University, Los Angeles, California

Britons

Albion College, Albion, Michigan

Cajuns

University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana

Celtics

Carlow University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Dutchmen

Hope College, Holland, Michigan – Flying Dutchmen
Union College, Schenectady, New York
Edgerton High School, Edgerton, Minnesota – Flying Dutchmen

Gaels

Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas
Iona College, New Rochelle, New York
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
Saint Mary's College, Moraga, California

Irish

University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana

Indigenous peoples

Norse

Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Kentucky

Quakers

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Samurai

Sheridan Japanese School, Sheridan, Oregon

Saxons

Alfred University, Village of Alfred, New York

Scots/Highlanders

Alma College, Alma, Michigan – Scots
Carlmont High School, Belmont, California – Scots
College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio – Fighting Scots
Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia – Scots
Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pennsylvania • Heathwood Hall Episcopal school, Columbia, South Carolina – highlanders
Gordon College, Boston, Massachusetts – Fighting Scots
Incline High School, Incline Village, Nevada - Highlanders
Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas – Scots
Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota – Fighting Scots
McHenry County College, McHenry County, Illinois – Scots
MacMurray College, Jacksonville, Illinois – mascot is the Highlander
Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee – Scots
Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois – Fighting Scots
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey
Ohio Valley University, Vienna, West Virginia – Fighting Scots
Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina – Nickname is Blue Hose, mascot is Scotty the Scotsman
Radford University, Radford, Virginia
Rochester Adams High School, Rochester Hills, Michigan - Highlanders
Shadle Park High School, Spokane, Washington – Highlanders (Based on the Henderson Clan)
University of California, Riverside, California

Spartans

Swedes

Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas – Terrible Swedes

Tartars

El Camino College Compton Center, Compton, California
Compton High School, Compton, California – In reference to the college, the high school is the "tarbabes".

Trojans

Vandals

University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho

Vikings

Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois
Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
Downey High School, Downey, California
Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Flossmoor, Illinois
Lynbrook High School, San Jose, California
Miamisburg High School, Miamisburg, Ohio
Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Kentucky – Nickname is Norse; mascot is Victor E. Viking.
Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington

Defunct names

Atlanta Black Crackers – (Negro league baseball team)
C.D. Euzkadi (los vascos, "the Basques") - Mexican football team (1938-1939)
Cleveland Indians - (Major League Baseball team), Cleveland, Ohio, now the Guardians
Cincinnati Cubans – (Negro league baseball team)
Edmonton Eskimos – (Canadian Football League) – Edmonton, Alberta. Name use discontinued in 2020. Team rebranded as Edmonton Elks in 2021 after interim period as "EE Football Team."
Hermosillo Seris
Hofstra Flying Dutchmen, now the "Pride"
Nebraska Wesleyan Plainsmen, today the "Prairie Wolves"
New York Americans – (National Hockey League, 1925–1941)
New York Black Yankees – (Negro league baseball team)
New York Cubans – (Negro league baseball team)
Pekin High School (Pekin, Illinois) Chinks, now the "Dragons"
Quebec Nordiques – (WHA 1972–1979, NHL 1979–1995)
San Antonio Black Indians – (Negro league baseball team)
Sonoma State University Cossacks, now the Seawolves
Washington Redskins (National Football League) – Washington, D.C., USA, now the Commanders
Wayne State Tartars, now the Warriors.