Virginian

Virginian is a demonym and adjective referring to the U.S. state of Virginia or to its residents, Virginians. The term is used in historical, cultural, and geographic contexts to denote a connection with Virginia.

The name Virginia itself derives from Queen Elizabeth I, known as the Virgin Queen, and the state has long been associated with this etymology. Virginia is one of the original thirteen colonies and is officially designated as a commonwealth. The demonym Virginian is commonly used alongside Virginians in formal and informal writing.

In arts and media, The Virginian is best known as Owen Wister’s 1902 novel The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains, a foundational work in American Western literature. The work has been adapted several times for film and television, including early silent and sound films in the 1910s–1940s and a long-running television series titled The Virginian, which aired from 1962 to 1971.

In transportation and media, The Virginian name has appeared in other contexts. The Virginian Railway operated from 1907 to 1959 to haul coal from Virginia and West Virginia to Norfolk and was a notable regional line. The Virginian-Pilot is a major daily newspaper serving Norfolk and coastal Virginia, illustrating the regional identity associated with the term.

Overall, Virginian is used to describe people, places, and cultural products linked to Virginia, reflecting the state’s historical identity and its representation in literature, entertainment, and regional institutions.