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.
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
Canadians in general [ edit ]
Fighting Irish University of Notre Dame, USA
School and youth teams [ edit ]
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
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
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
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"
MacMurray College , Jacksonville, Illinois – mascot was the Highlander
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.