Celtic tribes of the British Isles

This is a list of Celtic tribes, organized in order of the likely ethnolinguistic kinship of the peoples and tribes.
In Classical antiquity, Celts were a large number and a significant part of the population in many regions of Western Europe, Southern Central Europe, the British Isles and parts of the Balkans, in Europe, and also Central Asia Minor or Anatolia.

Ancestors

*Proto-Indo-Europeans (Proto-Indo-European speakers)
** Proto-Celts (Proto-Celtic speakers)

Continental Celts

Continental Celts were the Celtic peoples that inhabited mainland Europe. In the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, Celts inhabited a large part of mainland Western Europe and large parts of Western Southern Europe (Iberian peninsula), southern Central Europe and some regions of the Balkans and Anatolia. They were most of the population in Gallia, today's France, Switzerland, possibly Belgica – far Northern France, Belgium and far Southern Netherlands, large parts of Hispania, i.e. Iberian Peninsula – Spain and Portugal, in the northern, central and western regions; southern Central Europe – upper Danube basin and neighbouring regions, large parts of the middle Danube basin and the inland region of Central Asia Minor or Anatolia. They lived in these many regions forming a large arc stretching across from Iberia in the west to the Balkans and Anatolia in the east.
Many of the populations from these regions were called Celts by ancient authors. They are thought to have spoken Gaulish (P-Celtic type), Lepontic (P-Celtic type), Hispano-Celtic ( Celtiberian and Western Hispano-Celtic or Gallaecian) (Q-Celtic type), Eastern Celtic or Noric (unknown type). P-Celtic type languages are more innovative (*kʷ > p) while Q-Celtic type languages are more conservative.
However, it is not fully known if this grouping of peoples, such as their languages, is a genealogical one (phylogenetic), based on kinship, or if it is a simple geographically based group.
Classical Antiquity authors did not call the peoples and tribes of the British Islands as “Celts” or “Galli” but by the name “Britons”. They only used the name “Celts” or “Galli” for the peoples and tribes of mainland Europe.Collis, John (2003). The Celts: Origins, Myths and Inventions. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. p. 180.

Eastern CeltsMallory, J.P.; Douglas Q. Adams (1997).

Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture. London: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers.

They lived Southern Central Europe (in the Upper Danube basin and neighbouring regions) which is hypothesized as the original area of the Celts ( Proto-Celts), corresponding to the Hallstatt Culture. Later they expanded towards the Middle Danube valley and to parts of the Balkans and towards inland central Asia Minor or Anatolia (Galatians). Hercynian Forest ('' Hercynia Silva''), north of the Danube and east of the Rhine was in their lands. Celts, especially those from Western and Central Europe, were generally called by the Romans “Galli” i.e. “Gauls”, this name was synonym of “Celts”, this also means that not all of the peoples and tribes called by the name “Gauls” (Galli) were specifically Gauls in a narrower more regional sense. Their language is scarcely attested and can not be classified as a P-Celtic or Q-Celtic.
Some closely fit the concept of a tribe. Others are confederations or even unions of tribes.
*Anartes/ Anartoi – Areas of modern Slovakia and modern Northern Hungary, north of the river Tysia / Tibiscus (Tisza). They lived in the eastern part of the Hercynia Silva (Hercynian Forest). Areas of modern central Slovakia and modern Northern Hungary, north of the river Tysia/Tibiscus (Tisza), north of the Teuriscii. They were later assimilated by Dacians.
* Arabiates - areas of modern Western Hungary and eastern Austria, west of the river Danubius (Danube).
* Belgites - areas of modern Western Hungary, west of the river Danubius (Danube).
*Boii – a tribal confederation, originally from today's Bohemia (Western Czech Republic) that dwelt in the Hercynia Silva and dispersed through migrations to other regions of Europe, to areas of modern Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Northern Italy. Another hypothesis is that they were a tribal confederation, originally from today's Southern France who migrated to Hercynia Silva under Segovesus, and dispersed through migrations to other regions of Europe, to areas of modern Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Poland and Hungary.
**Boii tribes of unknown names in the Hercynia Silva - roughly in today's Bohemia
**Boii (in Cisalpine Gaul)  – Central Emilia-Romagna (Bologna).
**Boii (in Transalpine Gaul)  – Boui near Entrain - They were related to or a branch of the Boii.
** Boii Boiates / Boviates / Boiates  – La Tête de Buch, probably around Arcachon Bay and northwest of Landes (departement), in the Pays de Buch and Pays de Born. Although they dwelt in Aquitania Proper, they seem to have been a Celtic tribe and not a tribe of the Aquitani (a people that may have been ancestor of the Basques).
**Boii (in Pannonia) - Pannonia, today's Western Hungary (west of the Danube) and part of eastern Austria
** Tulingi ( Tylangii?)  – localization unclear, possibly Southern Germany, Switzerland, or Austria; an originally Boii Celtic tribe that migrated along the upper Danube and later allied with the Helvetii?; also, may have been a Germanic tribe.
* Breuci
* Carni  – Carnic Alps, South Austria ( Carinthia/Kärnten), Western Slovenia ( Carniola/ Kranjska) and Northern Friuli/ Friûl ( Carnia/ Cjargna). A tribe related to the Carnutes? Also, may have been a Venetic tribe (the Veneti were a transitional people between Celts and Italics or a Celticized Italic people).
* Catubrini  - In the Alps Southeastern slopes, close to Plavis (Piave) and near Bellunum (Belluno), to the Southwest of the Carni. They came from Central Europe and not from Gaul (Gallia). (They were not Cisalpine Gaulish Celts).
*Celts of Tylis / Tylisian Celts
* Cornacates- areas of modern Western Hungary, west of river Danubius (Danube).
*Cotini  – areas of modern Slovakia, west of the Anartes, and areas of Western Hungary, west of the river Danubius (Danube), south of Lacus Pelsodis / Pelso (today's Lake Balaton).
*Eravisci / Aravisci Ion Grumeza, ''Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe'', , 2009, p. 51: "In a short time the Dacians imposed their conditions on the Anerati, Boii, Eravisci, Pannoni, Scordisci,"– areas of modern Western Hungary, west of the river Danubius (Danube), Aquincum (modern Budapest) was in their territory.
*Helvetii-Rauraci / Raurici
** Helvetii  – original dwellers of Agri Decumates region, in the western part of Hercynia Silva, to the east and north of the Rhine; later, possibly at the end of the 3rd century BC they expanded to the South and Southwest to land later called Helvetia (modern day Switzerland). They were possibly more related to the Celtic populations of the upper Danube basin than to the Celts of Gaul.
*** Decumates may have meant "Ten Cantons". La Tène, (tribal confederation of four tribes).
***Tigurini  – Yverdon
***Tougeni
***Verbigeni
***Tribe of unknown name ( Helvetii Proper?)
**Rauraci / Raurici   – Kaiseraugst (Augusta Raurica), a tribe closely related to the Helvetii.
*Hercuniates / Hercuniatae - areas of modern Western Hungary, west of the river Danubius (Danube).
*Latobici / LatoviciJ. J. Wilkes, ''The Illyrians'', 1992, , p. 81: "In Roman Pannonia the Latobici and Varciani who dwelt east of the Venetic Catari in the upper Sava valley were Celtic but the Colapiani of ..." - not the same tribe as the Latobrigi but they could have been related, they dwelt in areas of modern Slovenia and Western Hungary, west of the river Danubius (Danube).
* Latobrigi - uncertain location, maybe to the north or northeast of the Helvetii in the upper Danube (Danubius) and upper Rhine river basins, original dwellers of Agri Decumates region, in the western part of Hercynia Silva.
*ScordisciJ. J. Wilkes, ''The Illyrians'', 1992, , p. 140: "... Autariatae at the expense of the Triballi until, as Strabo remarks, they in their turn were overcome by the Celtic Scordisci in the early third century" - areas of modern Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Romania, west of the river Danubius (Danube). According to Livy, they were related to the Bastarnae.
**Celegeri / CelengeriJ. J. Wilkes, ''The Illyrians'', 1992, , p. 217.
**Dindari or ''Dindarii'' (Greek ''Δινδάριοι''), a tribe that was a branch of the Scordisci.
*Serdi - in Serdica region (today's Sofiya, Bulgaria's Capital)
* Serrapilli / Serapilli - areas of modern Western Hungary, west of the river Danubius (Danube).
* Serretes - areas of modern Western Hungary, west of the river Danubius (Danube).
*Tricornenses (a later formation tribe)
*Norici / Taurisci / Varisci - a tribal confederation
**Alauni - in the middle Aenus river basin (Inn), east of the Aenus in the Eastern Alps, Chiemsee and Attersee lakes region.
**Ambidravi / Ambidrani - in the upper and middle Dravus (Drau/Drava) river basin in the Eastern Alps and also in the Mur/Mura river basin, today's Carinthia and Styria, Austria.
**Ambilici - in the Dravus (Drau/Drava) river basin, east of the Ambidravi/Ambidrani (today's Southeast Austria and Northeast Slovenia).
** Ambisontes / Ambisontii - in the Alpes Noricae ( East Central Alps), in the upper Salzach river basin.
**Norici ( Narisci) / Nori - may have been a tribe of the larger Taurisci tribal federation; in the Eastern Alps and in the Mur/Mura and Schwarza rivers basins and other areas, today's Styria and Lower Austria (Austria) south of the Danubius (Danube), also may have been a Germanic tribe.
**Sevaces - in the low Aenus river basin (Inn), east of the Aenus and south of the Danubius (Danube), roughly in today's Upper Austria.
** Teuriscii - A branch of the Celtic Taurisci (originally from Noricum) in the Tysia/Tibiscus (Tisza) river basin south of the Anartes/ Anartii/ Anartoi. Celts assimilated by DaciansIoana A. Oltean, ''Dacia: Landscape, Colonization and Romanization'', , 2007, p. 47.
*Varciani  – areas of modern Slovenia, Croatia.
*Vindelici   – a tribal confederation, areas of modern Southern Germany (Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg), in the upper Danube basin. May have been a confederation of mixed Celtic and Germanic tribes.
** Brigantii   – in the Lacus Brigantinus (Lake Constance) area, Brigantia (Bregenz) was the main centre, in the border areas of modern Germany, Austria and Switzerland, north of the Vennonetes/Vennones/Vennonienses.
** Catenates   - South of the Danubius (Danube), in the low Licus (Lech) river area, Augusta Vindelicorum region (today's Augsburg), north of the Licates.
**Consuanetae / Cosuanetes / Cotuantii - Upper and middle valley of fl. Isarus (r. Isar) ( Bavarian Alps) in today's Upper Bavaria, Germany.
**Estiones   - South of the Danubius (Danube), in the Ilargus (Roth) and Riss rivers area, including today's Ulm area (between modern Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg), Cambodunum (today's Kempten) was one of their towns.
**Leuni   - in the Isarus (Isar) and Ammer (Amper) river areas, Munich area, Bavaria.
** Licates   -in the Licus (Lech) river valley, south of the Catenates.
** Rucinates / Rucantii - Between rivers Isarus (Isar) and Danuvius (Danube), Low Bavaria.
** Vennones / Vennonienses / Vennonetes - Upper valley of fl. Rhenus (r. Rhine) in today's canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland, south of the Brigantii.
**Vindelici Proper   – a tribe to the north of the Upper Danube.
*Volcae - a tribal confederation, originally from today's Moravia (Eastern Czech Republic), Central and Upper Danube basin (Slovakia, Austria, Southern Germany), also in Main river basin, to the west of the Boii. They dwelt in Hercynia Silva, north of the Danuvius (Danube) but dispersed through migrations to other regions of Europe (Southern Gaul) and Asia Minor/Anatolia ( Galatia).
**Volcae tribes of unknown names in Hercynia Silva - roughly in today's Moravia and Main River basin.
**Volcae Arecomici / Volcae Arecomisci – in southern Gaul, in the Mediterranean coast of today's Languedoc.
**Volcae Tectosages (in Southern Gaul and also in Galatia, Central Asia Minor or Anatolia, one of the main tribes that formed the Galatians)
*Possible Volcae tribes
**Volciani  – may have been a tribe related to the Volcae and not to the Hispano-Celts / Iberian Celts (i.e., the Celts of the Iberian Peninsula). Located north of the river Iberus (Ebro), but not very precisely.

Galatians

In the middle 3rd century BC, Celts from the middle Danube valley, immigrated from Thrace into the highlands of central Anatolia (modern Turkey), which was called Galatia after that. These people, called Galatians, a generic name for “Celts”, were eventually Hellenized, but retained many of their own traditions. They spoke Galatian, a name derived from the generic name for “Celts”. Some closely fit the concept of a tribe. Others are confederations or even unions of tribes.
* Aigosages, between Troy and Cyzicus
* Daguteni, in modern Marmara region around Orhaneli
* Inovanteni, east of the Trocnades
* Okondiani, between Phrygia and Galatia northeast of modern Akşehir Gölü
* Rigosages, unlocated
* Trocnades, in Phrygia around modern Sivrihisar
*Unknown tribe (Territory of Gaezatorix, a Celtic Chieftain), between Bithynia and Galatia at modern Bolu
* Core Galatians
**Tectosages,Prifysgol Cymru, University of Wales, ''A Detailed Map of Celtic Settlements in Galatia, Celtic Names and La Tène Material in Anatolia, the Eastern Balkans, and the Pontic Steppes.'' in Galatia
**Tolistobogii, in Galatia
** Trocmii, in Galatia (easternmost known Celtic tribe)

Gauls (Galli or Celtae)

Gauls were the Celtic people that lived in Gaul having many tribes but with some influential tribal confederations. ''Galli'' (Gauls), for the Romans, was a name synonym of “Celts” (as Julius Caesar states in ''De Bello Gallico''Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur. Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Book I, chapter 1) which means that not all peoples and tribes called “Galli” were necessarily Gauls in a narrower regional sense.
Gaulish Celts spoke Gaulish, a Continental Celtic language of the P Celtic type, a more innovative Celtic language - *kʷ > p.
Romans initially organized Gaul in two provinces (later in three):
Transalpine Gaul, meaning literally "Gaul on the other side of the Alps" or "Gaul across the Alps", is approximately modern Belgium, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Western Germany in what would become the Roman provinces of Gallia Narbonensis, Gallia Celtica (later Lugdunensis and Aquitania) and Gallia Belgica.
Some closely fit the concept of a tribe. Others are confederations or even unions of tribes.
*Abrincatui - in Aremorica or Armorica
*Aedui / Haedui  - Gaulish Celts largest tribal confederation, roughly in the geographical centre of Gaul and controlling important land, river, and trade routes
**Aedui / Haedui proper - Bibracte
** Ambivareti
** Parisii (Gaul) - Lutetia, today's Paris, was their capital. A tribe of similar name, the Parisi, dwelt in East Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
**Senones – Sens
* Agenisates / Angesinates – Angoumois
* Agnutes – Vendée
*Allobroges/ Allobriges – Vienne (they were allies to the Aedui Confederation but not part of it)
* Ambiliates / Ambilatres – Low Liger (Loire), in Aremorica or Armorica
* Ambivarii / Ambibarii  - in Aremorica or Armorica
* Anagnutes
* Andecamulenses
*Andecavi/Andes – Angers
* Antobroges
* Arverni – Gergovia (tribal confederation)
** Arverni proper
**Gabali
*Armoricani / Aremoricii - in Aremorica or Armorica (Land "Before the Sea” or “Close to the Sea” - Are Morica)
* Arvii
* Atacini – Aussière
* Atesui
*Aulerci (tribal confederation)
**Aulerci Brannovices/ Brannovii/ Blannovii (a southern branch of the Aulerci but within the Aedui tribal confederation)
**Aulerci Cenomani / Gaul Cenomani – Le Mans
**Aulerci Diablintes
**Aulerci Eburovices
**Aulerci Sagii
* Baiocasses / Boiocasses – Bayeux, in Aremorica or Armorica
* Bebryces (Gauls) – in southern Gaul, south of the Volcae Arecomici, close to Narbo (Narbonne) region.
* Bipedimui / Pimpedunni
*Bituriges
** Bituriges Cubi – Bourges (an eastern branch of the Bituriges but within the Aedui tribal confederation)
** Bituriges Vivisci – Bordeaux (Burdigala)
* Cadurci – Cahors
* Caeresi
* Cambolectres
* Carnutes – Autricum ( Chartres), Cenabum / Genabum (Orléans

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