The word 'Europeans' seems to appear for the first time in an eighth-century reference to Charles Martel's victory [over Islamic forces] at Tours.

submitted by EthnocratArcheofuturist from (self.debatealtright)

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Yes, this may be the broader usage of the Old French place name of what is now generally considered Europe and Europeans.

As for the etymology of 'Europe':

Ancient authors derived ancient Greek Εὐρώπη , the name of the continent from ancient Greek Εὐρώπη (classical Latin Eurōpa ), the name (in Greek mythology) of a princess of Tyre who was courted by Zeus in the form of a bull (see Europa n.). This story seems to go back to the Mycenaean period, in which case the name of the princess at least would be pre-Greek in origin. For the name of the continent, various other etymologies have been suggested, including a derivation < ancient Greek εὐρωπός wide, broad ( < εὐρύς + ὠπ-, ὤψ eye, face; though this has been dismissed as a subsequent folk etymology), and a Semitic origin, with the name having the sense ‘the Region of the Setting Sun’.

Europe occurs as a place name in English contexts from Old English onwards (in Old English as Europa, Europe, in Middle English as Europa, Europe, Europ).

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