Do people outside of the greater Houston area not consider themselves Houstonians?

I'd like to claim it, but growing up I only went into the city on school field trips and custodial visits. My hometown is in the metro area, but until recently people only lived there if they worked there, as it was too far with not enough decent housing to justify the commute. I went to college in the city, but didn't have a car so I stayed on campus the whole time; and memorized bus routes the way an actor does a script: just your lines and the parts right before and right after. So if I say I'm from Houston I'd have to acknowledge and discuss a lot references I know nothing about.

 

I claim Houston although technically I lived longer in West U than in Houston ...

 

With NY/NJ, the criticism usually goes the other way -- that people from Jersey are trying to associate themselves with NYC for the cachet but shouldn't.

 

Does Richmond/Rosenberg count as being from Houston?

I was born in Houston

 

Cool to see Missouri City listed twice :grin:

 

Personal preference. Some want to identify with a small town, some with a big city. As long as you're not dissing the city, it's all good.

When I was in Texas, I lived at various points in Cypress, Spring, and Magnolia. I still consider Houston to be my hometown and I'll scoff at anyone who tells me I was a fake Houstonian because I stayed north of some imaginary line. Was I a suburban kid? Sure. But it was Houston suburbs and I don't have pride in any of them, I have pride in being from H-Town.

 

Looks like some here take issue with those in the greater Houston area falsely claiming Houston, while others are upset with those specifying their own suburb or town instead of just saying Houston, seemingly trying to prove something to them.

That's tough. The only safe way not to make either side mad might be to start with "Houston", then qualify it extensively. That way you're not hiding from your own town, while still acknowledging that Houston is the reference point that matters.

 

I definitely agree with Jimmy Butler

I get annoyed when people tell me they are from Houston and proceed to b**** about how it sucks, only to hear they are from The Woodlands or Clear Lake or Pasadena and have never been inside the loop

 

But but but...Tomball has a mayor...

 

I used to rep Houston when I lived on Westpark.

 

i'm not quite sure why this aggravates you, i don't disagree with what sugarlandkid said, i only pointed out the technicality in why tomball is a city

 

Sugarland and Stafford have a mayor too, and that area is totally Houston.

 

I used Sugar Land and Houston interchangeably.

Now that I'm out of state I say Houston.

 

South side has a mayor as well.... Is that in the city? lol.

 

Same idea as everyone else, I say Houston to non-Texans and Clear Lake to Houstonians. Despite the fact that Clear Lake City was annexed by Houston there's nothing particularly Houstonian about Clear Lake. If anything CL more defines Houston as the Space City than the other way around.

 

After reading the first page, I have a PSA: put SwoLy-D on your ignore list. You will be multiple degrees of 10 happier as a result.

I lived for 10 years in Missouri City, and then for 6 years in Friendswood. Now I'm in Austin. I honestly don't like Friendswood that much, so I rep H-Town when asked about my hometown.

 

Breh have I got some news for you...

 

Word. Clear Lake will always be my hometown. My father on the other hand was always slightly perturbed by my brother's and mine identification of Clear Lake over Houston. Clear Lake is such a chill, cozy place that it other surrounding areas do not deserve to be mentioned as being one with Clear Lake - looking at you Webster.

 

not the south side, the city of South Houston

Bellaire, Jersey Village, South Houston these are areas that are surrounded by houston but are there own "city"

 

What about those "villages" on the west side of Houston? Do people who live there tell others "I live in ________ Village, which is surrounded on all sides by Houston."