Origin of the Jutes?

Question

As far as I know the British Isles (a long time ago) was occupated by the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes. But there is a Jutland somewhere in Scandinavia. What I don't know is whether the Jutes were one of the ancient people of Britain moving up to Scandinavia or the Jutes are of Scandinavian origin and they came to settle in Britain with the Viking invaders? You may think this a terribly stupid question but I'm a non native speaker, English major univ student and I can rely on only what I've been taught in my British History and Civilization class a long time ago. Anyway, thanks for your help!

Answer 1

Just an interesting little aside--recent dna testing in Britain has shown greater gene input from Scandinavians than from the Anglo saxons. So maybe Jutland isn't so far from the truth! It is beginning to look like people were coming across the north Sea several thousand years before any saxons ever arrived!

Answer 2

My be you are speaking of the "gots" You have heard of the city Gøteborg i Sweden and the island Gotland. The romans called Sweden "Gotia".

This is only guessing, but you might find the answer in Swedish history.

Answer 3

Yours is not at all a stupid question. Others sheepishly don't ask such questions. So long as the question is not implausible like 'How to land on Sun', you've proved your intelligence. You are different and ought to get an answer.

Now the question:

Scandinavia comprises of the peninsula of that name (Norway, Sweden and Finland) and Denmark. Denmark is made of the mainland called 'Jutland' peninsula ('Lutum' in Latin) which juts out of Europe mainland, separating North Sea from Baltic Sea, and an archipelago almost touching Sweden, the main island being 'Zealand'. Jutland is also written as Jatland. 'Jutes' ('Luti' or 'Lutae') are from Jutland, of Germanic extraction. Germany's 'Schleswig' ('Slesvig' in Danish) is adjacent to the peninsula. North Schleswig (Nordslesvig in Danish) joined Denmark after a plebiscite in 1920. Danes originated near Uppsala in Sweden and fought many battles with Jutes. Angles (who gave their name to 'Angle land',  England), Saxons, Jutes and Vandals started moving to England from 450AD.

There is an interesting side story with links to India. 'Jats' are a pastoral people living in the countries west of Delhi, India. Thakur Deshraj (means 'Chief, prince of the land') in his book on Jats' history (in Hindi, 1934) claims that the same Jats went to Jutland, colonised and gave it their name. He even calls Scandinavia as 'Skanda nabha' (sky of 'Skandha', son of Siva who led gods' armies to victory).

Answer 4

The Jutes were a Germanic tribe who invaded Britain in the 5th century AD. But Jutland SOUNDS more plausable because of the name.  According to my understanding  the Jutes occupied Hampshire, Kent and the Isle of Wight. that is the eastern end of the south coast mainly.  Sussex seems to have been missed out in the books I've read.

Large numbers of Jutes lived in the New Forest in Hampshire and until the 11th century it was known as Ytene (of the Jutes).

British Naval history is my speciality, and I regret to say I have forgotten so much of my history.

Answer 5

Also, to add to what others have already said. the Angles and Saxons come from the same geographical area. they come from the area of what is now northern Germany and Holland adjacent to the Jutland peninsula.

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jutes

Jutland was/is part of Denmark, so I would guess that they are named after the place they came from, so they came to Britain from Scandanavia.