The Serbs share a common ancestry with other South Slavic peoples, as well as cultural and historical roots with other Balkan peoples. The ethnonym "Serb" is first mentioned in the 7th century in De Administrando Imperio by the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, who described them as one of the Slavic tribes that settled the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries.
The Serbs are believed to have originated from a group of Slavic tribes known as the White Serbs, who lived in the area between the Elbe and Saale rivers in present-day Germany. In the 6th century, a group of White Serbs migrated to the Balkans and settled in the regions of present-day Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia.
The Serbian language is a member of the South Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. The Serbian Orthodox Church is the largest religious group among Serbs, and the majority of Serbs are Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Serbs have a rich cultural heritage that includes traditional music, dance, literature, and art. They are also known for their hospitality, generosity, and sense of humor.
Today, Serbs form the majority population in Serbia, and are also significant minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. There are also Serbian diaspora communities in many countries around the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Australia.