Itinerant groups in Europe

There are a number of population groups with a traditionally itinerant (travelling) lifestyle in Europe, also variously known as "travellers", or "gypsies". The oldest and most widely dispersed of these groups are the Romani people, ultimately of Indian origin, who entered Europe in the 14th to 15th century. There are various other traditionally itinerant groups in Europe who took up this lifestyle out of necessity at some point during the Early Modern period. Unlike the Romani, these are not separate ethnic groups but have formed as separate classes within the sedentary majority; they do not have an entirely separate language, but they developed specialized jargon (known as cant or argot).

As opposed to nomads who travel with and subsist on herds of livestock, itinerant groups of this type subsist on trade with the sedentary populations among which they move.

By far the best known of these communities are the Romani people (also Romany, Romanies Tzigani, Rromani, and variants). This is a community of ultimately Indo-Aryan origin, and first entered Europe via the Middle East during the 14th century, expanding through Europe further during the 15th and 16th centuries; separating into various subgroups in the process.

In German-speaking Europe, France and Wallonia, there are the Jenische or Yeniche (in German and French spelling, respectively). An early description of this group was published by Johann Ulrich Schöll in 1793.

In Norway there is a small group of people who call themselves Reisende; i.e. indigenous Norwegian Travellers. Confusingly, this term is also used by the so-called Tater people (the biggest population of Romani people in Norway and Sweden). Unlike the Tater people, however, the indigenous Norwegian Travellers are non-Roma by culture and origins, and they do not speak any form of Romani language.

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