ginalangridge | What is an alternative word for gypsy?

What is an alternative word for gypsy, as in someone who moves around a lot and doesn't settle in one place?

When I worked in a school setting, we had children in the school who came and went depending on where their family were living at the time. Most of the people made their living working for fairgrounds and they moved with the fairs.

They were Travellers.

In the UK there are three different identities that people may feel apply to them as travelling people: Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller.

You can read more about the different groups here:

The Traveller Movement
Friends, Families and Travellers
Social services can support Travellers through effective monitoring

It looks as though the terms are not interchangeable: Gypsies and Travellers are self-identified separate ethnic groups. However, if you want a generic word to cover anyone moving around from place to place, in the UK your best bet would probably be Traveller.