What is the difference between Puritans and Pilgrims?

Despite their similarities, and the fact that they arrived in America within a decade of each other, there are several differences. While the Pilgrims were Separatists, the Puritans were non-separating Congregationalists -- they believed the Church of England was the one true church and they were loyal to England, but not in the way they worshipped. They believed that "New England" worship and practice would be an example for Old England and the world. The Pilgrims were few in number. 102 sailed across the Atlantic on the Mayflower. About half died the first winter. The Puritans came by the thousands, indeed forty to fifty thousand eventually came. By 1776, 75% of the American population were of Puritan roots. The Pilgrims came earlier in 1620, the Puritans came later in 1629-30. The Pilgrims for the most part were of the poor class. Not all on the Mayflower came for religious reasons, some came for better economic opportunities in the New World. The Puritans were primarily upper middle class. The Pilgrims were not terribly well educated, while the Puritans typically were. Over 100 of the first Puritans to come to America had been educated at Oxford or Cambridge. Within 6 years of landing, the Puritans founded the first college, Harvard, in Cambridge (Boston). The Pilgrims settled in Plymouth. The Puritans settled in Salem and Boston. Pilgrims had names like William Bradford and William Brewster. The Puritans had names like Miles Standish, John Endicott, John Winthrop. Ultimately, however, both colonies united to form Massachusetts following the Puritans having their charter revoked in 1689.

There have already been some excellent answers to this question. Let me broaden the topic a bit to state that the Pilgrims represent a tradition in American religion that was much broader than the Pilgrims themselves. MANY religious groups came to the English colonies and later to the United States to avoid religious persecution with the sole desire of practicing their religion without outside interference. That's what the "Separatism" of the Pilgrims really represented, a desire to get off on their own and practice religion as they saw fit, not only without any outside interference, but also without THEM interfering with the society they sought to separate from.Many of these groups who had the same basic separatist goals as the Pilgrims wound up in Pennsylvania during Colonial America. So Quakers, the Amish, Mennonites, Shakers, Moravian Brethren, etc all followed in the footsteps of American religious groups who only sought the right to practice their religion separately from society as a whole. Later groups would include Hutterites and even Hasidic Jews and many, many others.The Puritans represent another trend in American religion. Puritans believed they would establish a model society in the Americas, one that would be an example to Christians back in England and in fact for the entire world. They had every intention of running the society they lived in (as opposed to separating from it) and providing it with laws to ensure that it was "pure." Roger Williams fled Puritan Massachusetts to establish the colony of Rhode Island because the Puritan-dominated government did not allow the practice of religions other than their own Congregationalism. That included other denominations of Christianity (Williams became a Baptist). The tendency to use governmental power to try enforce specific Christian tenants, while no longer championed by Puritans (who don't really exist anymore), still is an American tradition, "Puritanism" if you will. Certain American Christians would still like to see the government enforcing Christian morality, as the Puritans intended their government to do.I personally believe the Separatist tradition of American religion is great and wonderful. I believe it is also largely responsible for why the USA is so much more religious than Europe, since most European nations persecuted their separatists and as a result they came here, permanently changing both societies, making ours more devout and European nations less so. But I am usually critical of "Puritanism" and feel it does not represent the best of American religion.

1.Pilgrims and Puritans have a similar ancestry, shared history, and goals. The Puritans are the original group which aimed to bring back simplicity and virtue in Christianity. On the other hand, Pilgrims are the Separatists who were once Puritans but were discontent at reforms. Both groups look to the Scriptures as their final authority on religion and not the clergy.2.The Pilgrims came first to America and settled in Plymouth while the Puritans came later and settled in Massachusetts.4.Pilgrims practiced a form of democracy in their community comprised of working men. On the other hand, Puritans are higher in the social and economic status. They also practiced a theocracy form of governance.While the Pilgrims were Separatists, the Puritans were non-separating Congregationalists -- they believed the Church of England was the one true church and they were loyal to England, but not in the way they worshipped.

A pilgrim is someone who goes on a journey due to a religious purpose, like visiting a sacred site or traveling to a new place to practice their religion without persecution.  An example of a pilgrim in today's world is when a Muslim who practices Islam takes a holy journey or pilgramage to a Holy Site such as Mecca.  Americans think Pilgrims are the group of people who landed on Plymouth Rock.  This is correct in the definition of a pilgrim.  But in actuality the people who landed on Plymouth Rock were a religious group of English men and women who left England due to persecution.  They are called pilgrims because they left England on a religious journey or pilgramage.Puritans were English Protestants in 16 and 17 century who wanted to practice a strict, purified form of their religion.  Due to religious persecution from the Church of England, Puritans went on a pilgrimage or holy journey to escape persecution and ended up in Massachusetts Bay.  Since the Puritans went on a religious journey they are also considered pilgrims.

We refer to the original settlers at Plymouth rock  as Pilgrims. Pilgrim is a broader term as historically. These Pilgrims were also puritans, a cultural orientation associated with restraint from sentient pleasures for religious reasons..  I'm answering this question because it is an excuse to present a truly uproarious quote from the sage of Baltimore, Henry Louis Mencken: Puritanism. The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.  Allow me to add that when I was in high school in Baltimore I played the Mencken character in the play," Inherit the Wind." At that time I did not even know that Mencken was from Baltimore, much less that his first job had been with the Baltimore Morning Beacon, a daily founded by my great grandfather.

Good question. Essentially, the Puritans are a specific subset of the larger "Pilgrims" which literally means those who travel to another land for religious purposes, and in the case of American history applies to European settlers who formed colonies in the land that is now the United States.So, the Puritans were a specific group among the Pilgrims. You might want to consider a book such as Godly Republicanism: Puritans, Pilgrims, and a City on a Hill by Michael Winship for more details.