The origin and usage of the word "Citizen." Where did this word come from, and how came the United States to start using it?
The term dates back to the 14th century. In England, the citizenry were subjects of the sovereign king. English common law (court made law) used the term natural born subject. The United States, without a king, and the collective people being the sovereign, used the term natural born citizen.
The term citizen existed in English law when the original thirteen colonies became English colonies. English law was the law of the English colonies. Either in their constitution, or in their statute laws, each of the original thirteen States adopted so much of the English common law as was not inconsistent with the United States Constitution. The English legal system, following prior precedents, is the basis for the Federal legal system, and the system of 49 of the 50 states. Louisiana was never an English colony. It was purchased from France. The basis of its state legal system is the Napoleanic Code system it used as a French colony.
Black's Law Dictionary, 11th Ed.
citizen, n. (14c) 1. Someone who, by either birth or naturalization, is a member of a political community, owing allegiance to the community and being entitled to enjoy all its civil rights and protections; a member of the civil state, entitled to all its privileges. Cf. RESIDENT, n.; DOMICILIARY, n.• birthright citizen. Someone who acquires citizenship in a polity solely by virtue of having been born within its geographic borders.
• citizen by naturalization. See naturalized citizen.
• federal citizen. (1885) A citizen of the United States.
• natural-born citizen. (18c) 1. A person born within the jurisdiction of a national government. 2. A person born outside the jurisdiction of a national government to a parent who is a citizen of that nation. 3. A person born outside the jurisdiction of a national government to a father who is a citizen of that nation. • Sense 3 was the common-law sense of the nearest analogous phrase in English law (common-law subject) at the founding of the United States of America. See NATURAL BORN CITIZEN CLAUSE.
• naturalized citizen. (18c) A foreign-born person who attains citizenship by law. — Also termed citizen by naturalization.
2. For diversity-jurisdiction purposes, a corporation that was incorporated within a state or has its principal place of business there. 28 USCA § 1332(c)(1).
3. Popularly, someone who lives in a particular town, county, or state.
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natural-born subject. (17c) 1. A person born within the dominion of a monarchy, esp. England. 2. A person born outside the dominion of a monarchy to a parent who is a subject of that monarchy. 3. Hist. A person born outside the dominion of a monarchy to a father who is a subject of that monarchy. See natural-born citizen (3) under CITIZEN (1). Also termed liege subject. Cf. NATIONAL, n.
Yes it does, but what did it mean in 14th century English? What does it's roots imply?