Many historical figures have legends that loom larger in our collective consciousness than the known facts of their lives. But in the case of Saint George, legends are almost all we have to go on. We know very little about George, and it can't even be totally confirmed that he ever existed (though records and traditions dating to shortly after his reported death in 303 A.D. indicate that he did).
But one thing we do know about George is that he was no Englishman. He was likely born in modern-day Turkey, by tradition in Cappadocia, and he was likely Greek and wealthy. His mother is believed to have been a Greek Palestinian, and one tradition holds that she took her son to her homeland after his father died (via Rosemary Guiley's "The Encyclopedia of Saints"). It was in Palestine where he's believed to have died. He may have traveled during his lifetime, but it is extremely unlikely that George ever went as far north or west as England.
It isn't necessary, however, for a patron saint of a country to be from that country; only that they exhibit ideals that a nation aspires to. Venice, Portugal, Catalonia, Genoa, and Ethiopia all have George as their patron saint. The English venerated him as early as the eighth century, and Richard the Lionheart invoked George's protection during his time in the Crusades. When Edward III founded the Order of the Garter under George's patronage, George became associated with an ideal image of kingship promoted by Edward, and his connection to England has endured through the centuries.
