3

I've been trying to locate from where certain Harry Potter characters come from in Britain (as in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland), and have had limited success. Most of these characters are involved in the main storyline.

Note: Since it's a long list of characters, I understand if no answer contains all the characters' locations. Plus, to make things easier, I've struck out the names of the characters whose origins I have found, either through my research or through the answers below.

  • Harry James Potter

  • Hermione Jean Granger

  • The Weasleys

  • Dean Thomas

  • Seamus Finnigan

  • Cedric Diggory

  • Ernie Macmillan

  • Justin Finch-Fletchley

  • Hannah Abbot

  • Marcus Flint

  • Cho Chang

  • Parvati and Padma Patil

  • Draco Malfoy

  • Lavender Brown

  • Oliver Wood

  • Minerva McGonagall

  • Filius Flitwick

  • Severus Snape

  • Pomona Sprout

  • Horace E.F. Slughorn

What I've found

I've located the following characters:

  • McGonagall: Scotland

  • The Weasleys: England (Devonshire)

  • Harry Potter: England (Surrey)

  • Remus Lupin : Wales (ancestry)

  • Hermione: England (London)

  • Luna Lovegood: England (Devon)

What I need

The locations from where the other characters are from, or are strongly associated with (e.g. Harry might not originally be from Surrey, but has lived there long enough to be associated with it).

Of course, it might be very hard to find actual references to their locations (it was for me), so I'll accept an answer if it provides sound reasoning for a claim despite there not being any direct evidence for it.

For example(not an actual claim), if an answer claims Seamus is Irish based on his mannerisms, language, etc. I'll accept it, provided the reasoning is sound.

I also make a rare exception in accepting information from Harry Potter Wiki and other such "non-canon" sources provided the answer is reasonable.

Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.

7
  • I was actually surprised the Weasleys were from England, not Scotland (from where I always assumed them to be). Oct 8, 2017 at 13:42
  • Isn't the address of Harry written very explicitly in book 1? Actually, let me just look it up... Oct 8, 2017 at 14:20
  • @Fabian It is. Assuming I've remembered it correctly: The Cupboard Under the Stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Oct 8, 2017 at 14:23
  • It says "Little Whinging, Surrey". Here is a Google Maps link for Surrey: google.de/maps/place/Surrey,+Vereinigtes+Königreich/@51.2711803,-0.675533,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x47df555ad5122581:0xd55283445c034277!8m2!3d51.3147593!4d-0.5599501 Oct 8, 2017 at 14:23
  • 2
    You still have 13 characters which you're asking about, even after your edit. The question should still be closed as too broad. If you want to, you can ask, "Where did x come from?". In my view, it wouldn't be a great question but it would at least be allowed on the site. Oct 8, 2017 at 16:54

1 Answer 1

4

Severus Snape

Cokeworth, English Midlands. From Pottermore:

Cokeworth is a fictional town in the English Midlands where Harry spends a night at the Railview Hotel with his aunt, uncle and cousin Dudley. Cokeworth's name is supposed to suggest an industrial town, and to evoke associations of hard work and grime.

Although it is never made explicit in the books, Cokeworth is the place where Petunia and Lily Evans and Severus Snape all grew up.

Seamus Finnigan

Ireland

While - as far as I recall - it's never definitively stated, it seems like Seamus is clearly intended to be Irish based on his speech patterns and last name. He's also among a large group of Irish supporters at the Quidditch World Cup.

For what it's worth, Seamus was also played in the film adaptations by Devon Murray, who is Irish.

Cedric Diggory

England, not that far from the Weasleys.

The Diggorys take the same Portkey as the Weasleys (and Harry and Hermione) to the Quidditch World Cup. Specifically, they take the "seven past five from Stoatshead Hill".

Amos Diggory says that they "had to get up at two" in order to walk to the Portkey's departure site, and they didn't appear to have been there very long when the Weasleys arrived as they were still searching for the Portkey.

Assuming they're not much faster than the average walking speed of ~3 miles per hour, and that their journey likely took close to three hours, they likely live roughly ten miles from the Weasleys.

Draco Malfoy

Wiltshire, England. From Pottermore:

Draco Malfoy grew up as an only child at Malfoy Manor, the magnificent mansion in Wiltshire which had been in his family’s possession for many centuries.

5
  • 2
    This answer is a textbook example of why questions like this should be closed.
    – Valorum
    Oct 8, 2017 at 14:50
  • @Valorum Sorry, is the question too long? I guess there were too many characters in it. Oct 8, 2017 at 15:03
  • @AnthonyGrist Thank you, that was useful(+1)! So my guess about Seamus was correct! Oct 8, 2017 at 15:05
  • 2
    @HarryWeasley - The problem with asking about two dozen characters is that you could end up with 24 correct, albeit partial answers
    – Valorum
    Oct 8, 2017 at 15:08
  • @Valorum Oh yes, that's true. Would it help if I mentioned in the question that I don't expect a complete answer? I know it's a tall order! Oct 8, 2017 at 15:17

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.