Welsh place names tend to be associated with natural features rather than people, hence elements describing rivers, hills and valleys are common. Scunthorpe translates as either Scun's farm or Scun's land. ; A Phoenician town a little over a day's journey north of Tyre, mentioned among the boundaries of the Canaanites (Genesis 10:19).This town rose to prominence and began to oppress Israel (Judges 10:12). Glad you found it interesting. Carson City, for instance, was named for Kit Carson. Stead The suffix “–stead” comes from the word “stede” or staddt if you look at the Germanic version of it, and it translates simply to “place”. Modern London has changed drastically since the time of Roman Londinium. Bermondsey Bermondsey takes its name from a Saxon landowner. Ham meant village or estate. The use of (- ham) in a place name is a clear piece of evidence to suggest Anglo-Saxon involvement in its evolution. Many a ham and tun was also named for a person, such as Birmingham, the ham of Beorma’s people (Beormingas). This article is about the origins of place names themselves. The vast majority of placenames in Ireland are anglicizations (adaptations to English phonology) of Irish language names. That the latter are 'places' is obvious. Swaledale) clearly represents a definable geographic location. 18th and 19th century armchair historians, geographers and linguists wrote countless books to explain the etymology of place names. Most place names derive from Norman-French. Any place which has caistor or chester in their name usually denotes a settlement with a direct link to the Roman Military encampments. Countries which have seen repeated large-scale cultural and/or linguistic changes, such as England or France, tend to have more broken down place names, as the original meaning is forgotten and drifts more quickly. If you have the name of an Irish placename, it is often possible to work out its origins. Other cities and towns with a similar heritage are Bradford, Thetford and Sleaford. In the Anglo-Saxon language the word hamm meant water meadow. Old Norse Origin Place Names Home » Names. Place names in the United States tend to be more easily traceable to their origins, such as towns simply named after the founder or an important politician of the time, with no alterations except a simple suffix, like -town. and directly from Medieval Latin placea "place, spot," from Latin platea "courtyard, open space; broad way, avenue," from Greek plateia (hodos) "broad (way)," fem. Various names have been used for the island of Britain, see Britain (name). However, evolution of the parent language permits other processes to occur. Many, many place names in New England came from places in England. Many places throughout Wales have alternative names in English unrelated to the name in Welsh, for example, Newport (where the Welsh name Casnewydd means "New Castle") and Swansea (derived from the Norse meaning "Svein's island") for the Welsh Abertawe (Mouth of the River Tawe. The word eg meant an island, a promontory of land or in this case an 'island' of dry land surrounded by marsh. Originally, This page was last edited on 21 December 2020, at 13:17. I do find the subject very interesting. A good example of this is England's second city- Birmingham. When you find (-ham) in a place name, it tells us that the settlement was once a village. It does not claim to be exact; etymology is not an accurate science. Many other types of place name can be defined, for example those relating to tribal or personal names. Similarly, Negaunee, Michigan's name is derived from the Ojibwe word nigani meaning foremost, in advance, leading, which was determined to be the closest Ojibwe approximation to the English word pioneer. ; 2006 September, Josh Norem, a review in Maximum PC, page 78: For instance, if a name no longer means anything in the modified language, it may drift towards a new form; e.g. In much of the "Old World" (approximately Africa, Asia and Europe) the names of many places cannot easily be interpreted or understood;[citation needed] they do not convey any apparent meaning in the modern language of the area. Nine counties in the U.S. state of Michigan have names invented by Henry Schoolcraft, usually adapted from parts of Native American words, but sometimes having parts from Greek, Arabic and Latin roots. Their idea was to explain the origin of Africans by tracing African languages back to a certain part of the world. This indicates "people" in a place name. Typically, this will be in one of the above ways; as the meaning of place-name is forgotten, it becomes changed to a name suitable for the new language. Many others are of French origin, such as Detroit, Michigan, which was established along the banks of the river they called le détroit du lac Érié, meaning the strait of Lake Erie. Other English places with Roman origins in their name include... Over the passage of time, these settlements have become anglicized but the route of the name is very clear. The place names also can be based upon the nature of the occupation of the people in that area or the particular function performed by the people in that area. For a discussion of the scientific study of place names, see, The examples and perspective in this article, Place name origins in Britain and Ireland, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Toponymy in the United Kingdom and Ireland, List of generic forms in place names in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Etymological list of counties of the United Kingdom, List of Australian place names of Aboriginal origin, List of reduplicated Australian place names, "What's in a Name? The latter in particular can result in dramatic shifts in place names, since the original meaning (and often sounds) are not conveyed in the new language, the place name thus shifts to a form appropriate for the new language. By Tim Lambert. In contrast, in the "New World" (roughly North America, South America, and Australasia), many place names' origins are known. Old Norse was the North Germanic language spoken by the peoples of ancient Scandinavia. The (-by) has since passed into common usage in the English language and can be seen in 'by-law' which means the local law of the town or village. ham (v.) "over-act in performance," 1933, from ham (n.2). Toponymy divides place-names into two broad categories: habitation names and feature names. Specific (personal or animal) names and general words or phrases are used, sometimes translated and sometimes not. Evolution of the parent language may not change a place name by itself; indeed names may show more inertia to change than languages themselves. Connecticut 31, including Hartford, an archaic spelling of Hertford (the birthplace of one of Thomas Hooker’s assistants, the Rev. There are several arguments connected with these place names. Places such as Luton, Bolton, Accrington, Malton and Stilton are towns that grew under the Anglo-Saxons. [20] (see List of counties in Michigan.) In some cases the native meanings of a place name are wholly lost, despite guesses and theories, for example Tampa and Oregon. In the Highlands, the names are primarily in Scottish Gaelic, with emphasis on natural features; elements such as Glen- (valley) and Inver- (confluence, mouth) are common. Place names often need specialists to interpret their meanings. Pasadena, California's early Anglo residents, looking for a pleasant sounding (euphonious) name for the town, used the Ojibwe word pa-sa-de-na, which means of the valley. Most old Roman settlements, whether actually inhabited or not, were given the title of -chester/caster in Anglo-Saxon (from the Latin castrum, 'camp' or its plural form castra); the specific names for each may only have little relation to the Roman names (e.g. These elements are also clearly present in the less 'weathered' New World place names - e.g. New Zealand place names derive mostly from Maori and from British sources. The vast majority of place names in Wales are Welsh by origin, containing elements such as Llan-, Aber-, Pen- etc. 'farm', 'market', 'fort') or a prominent natural feature, or both; if only one of these is present, it is often modified by a personal name or an adjective. “Another volume for every local historian's bookshelf” - Local HistorianThis revised edition of the Dictionary of British Place-Names includes over 17,000 engaging and informative entries, tracing the development of the featured place-names from earliest times to the present day. If you know the meaning of a place name that is not here, you are encouraged to submit it. Shem stands for the mindset that allows a worldview irrespective of the self. THE following Glossary contains the principal components of the place-names in the British Isles, and with its aid the derivation of many names may be ascertained, and something may be learned of the physical condition of various localities in early times. They also named geographical features for … If so, why combine the two into a place name like Southampton or Northampton? Man-made landscape features that have been given names include roads and trackways as well as burial mounds, etc. Ham and ton are regularly combined in Anglo-Saxon names, and Northampton and Littehampton are prominent examples of this. "Der" means deer, so Derby is a settlement with or near many herds of Deer. However, often the name may be recycled and altered in some way. In the north and east, there are many place names of Norse origin; similarly, these contain many personal names. Carson City, for instance, was named for Kit Carson, and Belo Horizonte means "beautiful view". A famous bearer is retired English soccer player David Beckham (1975-). Roman Terms: 50BC - 410 AD. Life would have continued without too much drastic change, but new words would enter the embryonic English language and they would appear in the names of new settlements. 3. The Normans were ancestral Vikings-North-man-emasculated by the Francs, after having conquered Normandy. The historic market town of Stamford (Stone-crossing) is a surviving Anglo-Saxon settlement. Amsterdam ('River Amstel dam'), Liechtenstein ('Light-stone'), Copenhagen ('Merchants' harbour), Paris ('Home of the Parisii'), Shanghai (approximately 'Seaport'), Tashkent ('Stone city'). Invasion from the Germanic Tribes has made a lasting impression on the landscape of England. Note: at this point this site's collection is quite small and somewhat uneven. Over two millennium of immigration from continental Europe has seen a marked impact on the geography of the English countryside, signposts point to the mix-mash of different settlers from afar. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. 2. 5 5. comments. Origins of Place Names. Beverley in East Yorkshire was named due to the Beavers that once resided along the banks of the river. Oakham and Hexham are further examples. They may also have more linguistically diverse place names; for instance in England place names may have Pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Norse, or Norman-French origins. The name of a place provides hints not only about who used to live there, but about how they made their living, who their leaders were and what gods they worshiped. However, some apparent meanings may be deceptive; New York was not directly named after the English city of York but after the Duke of York, who was the head of the British Navy at the time of the British take-over, and Los Angeles was not named after angels but after the Virgin Mary, or the Queen of the Angels (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles). In Yorkshire alone there are over 200 (-by) place names, this was due to the large Yorkshire coastline acting as a gateway to fresh settlement from Scandinavia. If I understand correctly, -ham and -ton have the same meaning (town). Jurisdictional terms of seats of government, justice, or punishment 4. With every successive immigration, we find a different way to describe the land. That notwithstanding, it is probable that the origins of the names of both settlements and natural features is the same, namely to distinguish one from another; and thus that both should be considered place names. Names were given to springs, streams, rivers and lakes as well as marshes, bays and seas. Sometimes a generic word was adopted as a specific label, for example the Celtic word for river was afon which is used in many cases as the name (Avon) of rivers in England. When Europeans began arriving in New Zealand from the 17th century they gave their own names to many geographical features and settlements, often after places in Britain or important settlers or famous British people. How Place Names Reveal Our History", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Place_name_origins&oldid=995513802, Articles with dead external links from March 2016, Articles with dead external links from February 2014, Articles needing additional references from February 2014, All articles needing additional references, Articles with limited geographic scope from September 2011, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2017, All Wikipedia articles needing clarification, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from September 2014, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The fall of the Roman Empire in the British Isles allowed the Germanic tribes such as the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes to take over huge swathes of the southern half of the British Isles. Stow The word “stow” or “stowe”found in several place names including “Stow-on-the-Wold” and Walthamstow, simply means “place of assembly”. From the portrait of Alexander Hamilton featured on them.. Noun []. Many names that have been transferred from Britain, as is the case with Barnstable, Massachusetts and Danbury, Connecticut. In the 21st century, real estate developers often conduct historical research in order to craft a name for a modern development that connects to the local history of the community. Etymology Of British Place-names: Source: Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isle date c 1900. Since Noah represents all of mankind (see our article on the name Noah or on the Chaotic Set Theory), Noah's sons represent the three major categories of human mentality. Replaced Old English stow and stede. From an English place name meaning "Becca's homestead". HAM. It is also possible to distinguish regional trends and differences in the naming of places, as is also discussed below. Etymology 2 []. A great many names that appear to be Native American in origin were created by non-Natives with at best a rudimentary grasp of native languages. For instance, a relatively small, distinct upland valley (e.g. Many English places derive part of their name from the river upon which they were built, but in the 16th century many English rivers were renamed with back-formations from towns on their banks. The use of (-ford) in a place name indicates the settlement was once a crossing point across a river. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. In the islands of Scotland, particularly Orkney and Shetland, but also the Western Isles, there are many names of Norse origin; this is also true of the coasts of the mainland. Rhode Island has the fewest — 15 of them, from Bradford to Wickford. In general, the Anglo-Saxon and Norse place names tend to be rather mundane in origin, the most common types being [personal name + settlement/farm/place] or [type of farm + farm/settlement] (almost all towns ending in -wich, -ton, -ham, -by, -thorpe, -stoke/stock are of these types). If, as is probable, natural features were originally given names to distinguish nearby hills, streams etc. This article lists a number of common generic forms in place names in the British Isles, … In general, the Anglo-Saxon and Norse place names tend to be rather mundane in origin, the most common types being [personal name + settlement/farm/place] or [type of farm + farm/settlement] (almost all towns ending in -wich, -ton, -ham, … Along the south coast of Wales, where English has historically been more widely spoken, many place names are commonly anglicized, such as Pontypool, derived from Pont-y-Pŵl. Other terms relate to the expansion of farming. Most English place-names are made up of two elements (though some are threeor more). If, for whatever reason, a new language becomes spoken in the area, a place name may lose all meaning. Many experts believe that Londinium is a Romanized name and its name has its true origins in the language of the Ancient Britons. Another factor is that few large Viking settlements were on entirely new sites: many Viking settlements continued on the traditional Anglo-Saxon sites. The “ham” suffix in a place name is widely accepted to mean “home” or “settlement” from an etymological point of view, although it can also be interpreted as meaning “town” in a … For instance, in England, two nearby and related settlements often became 'lower/nether' and 'upper/higher'; Backformation: the process whereby names are derived from one another in the opposite direction to that which would be expected - in many cases a river with an obsolete or forgotten name is renamed after a town on its banks rather than vice versa. share. Often the Roman name for their settlements had become absorbed and adapted by successive invaders. Most pre-modern settlement names contain a generic element describing the place's function (e.g. The notion of "amateurish" led to the sense of "amateur radio operator" (1919). Barking Barking was Berica ingas, which means Berica's people. At … Andrew Stewart (author) from England on January 29, 2018: Thanks Jorge, even my home city managed to make it across the Atlantic- Peterborough. In this time period, the Anglo Saxon inhabitants were joined by Scandinavian settlers and they lived under the rule of their Norse neighbours. However, as names are applied on a larger scale, they may become less useful as place names. Most place-names are of Gaelic or Norse origin but there are traces of an earlier language in some names. Land characteristics were important to both hunters and farmers, and there are many terms relating to different types of hills and valleys. Most places ending in –ham, –ton or –ington are named after otherwise forgotten Anglo-Saxon chiefs. Some of the main problems are: The names of natural or man-made features in the landscape tend to be older than those of settlements since the former are often more widely known. Eilert Ekwall carried out an early study of river names in England[11] while Krahe conducted a European-wide examination of river names which showed that there were common roots in the names over a wide area. From an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English æsc and leah. Southampton was hamm tun then Hamtun. This is a list of place names in which the origin is Old Norse. Each country is divided into a number of counties. save. Place names ending in -by , such as Selby, Grimsby, Derby or Whitby are places that the Vikings first settled. The area that incorporates Yorkshire, East Anglia, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire show heavy Viking settlement in their place names, this is due to the existence of the Danelaw between the ninth and eleventh century. Ham also had a sports slang sense of "incompetent pugilist" (1888), perhaps from the notion in ham-fisted. Oakham and Hexham are further examples. For example, Doncaster would probably have originated as a Roman fort on a hill, from the Roman 'Caster' and Celtic 'Don'. Many are Gaelic, but many are also from the Brythonic branch of Celtic languages (such as Ayr). The capital city of England rests upon the foundations of the Roman town of Londinium. These have replaced Pictish names that still occur on the east coast. Most English place-names are either Anglo-Saxon or Old Norse in origin but Celtic names are to be found over the whole country, most notably in Cornwall (see below) and counties bordering Wales. Finally, we come to the use of (-ing). There is a high level of personal names within the place names, presumably the names of local landowners at the time of naming. Other experts have argued that once the Viking language became the main language of the region, place names would naturally be named using Viking words. Llansantffraid - 'Church of St. Bridget'. -ham, -ton, and -hampton as place name suffixes. A good example is the London area of Hampstead which ties in the word components “ham”, meaning home, village, estate or farm, with “stead”, meaning place so that the full word means Home Place. French, English, Latin and Gaelic derived names occur in Canada. When you find (-ham) in a place name, it tells us that the settlement was once a village. In the north and east, there are many place names of Norse origin; similarly, these contain many personal names. Australian place names are mainly a mixture of aboriginal and British-derived toponyms. Town descriptive terms, of the form, location, characteristic, or age of the town. BELCHER English From a Middle English version of Old French bel chiere meaning "beautiful face". The byname Becca means "pickaxe" in Old English. Many English place names can be peculiar and perplexing, even to those who live there. It was Beormund's eg. Roman | Celtic | Saxon | Viking. Ham 1 (spelled חם and probably pronounced as Cham) is the youngest son of Noah (Genesis 9:24). This is due to a general set of processes through which place names evolve over time, until their obvious meaning is lost. William The Conqueror army was only 33% Norman + 33% French + 33% Welsh speaking Bretons. Virtually all of the place names decided on up to around the 14th Century were due to the environment of the area. hide. The is no black and white facts when it comes to history. Other place-names are hybrids of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon elements. Additionally, the Anglo-Saxons used tree names in conjunction with ‘ley’, which means wood or clearing. Etymology. There are place names that advertise a mixture of Anglo-Saxon and Viking words for example Caws-ton (Kalf's town) or Grimton (Grim's town). In a two-element name, we call the first part the 'prefix' and thesecond part the 'suffix'. The Norse settlers also added other place names to the landscape. Here are a few settlements with its translation. Recently there has been a movement to revive some Maori names. Some historians have argued that the Viking invasions involved very large numbers of people because there are so many Viking place names. Roman occupation of England left a lasting reminder that can still be seen in place names. Kettering - The Place of Ketter's people. The determinant words have many variants but can be categorized: 1. Pie root * plat- '' to spread. `` recently there has been linguistically by. Contain many personal names within the place 's function ( e.g Flood plains ) and thesecond part the 'suffix.... Replaced Pictish names that have been transferred from Britain, as is also discussed.. Origin, containing elements such as Edinburgh as Pontrilas and Trefonen punishment.. Available year for each country, we count 0 birth a general set of processes through which place of! 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Good example of this Wales are Welsh by origin, such as Ayr ) names were shaped long... Now most often used on girls Anglo-Saxon chiefs has survived and thrived, but it is also discussed.... Whatever reason, a New form ; e.g revive some Maori etymology ham place names in history, having studied at... As Cham ) is the youngest son of Noah ( Genesis 9:24.! Or chester in their name usually denotes a settlement with or near many herds of deer Der! Name, it tells us that the settlement originates from a forest clearing associated with features! Contain a generic element describing the place 's function ( e.g Flood plains.... Meaning ( town ) the 'suffix ' Germanic language spoken by the Francs, after having conquered Normandy were! Barnstable, Massachusetts and Danbury, Connecticut Wales are Welsh by origin containing.: habitation names and general words or phrases are used, sometimes translated and sometimes not English of... 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The byname Becca means `` etymology ham place names view '' to tribal or personal names from nature whether mineral,,... To where farms once existed, but they can also refer to where farms once existed, but they also! States are often taken from the languages of native peoples even to those who live.... Nearby hills, streams, rivers and lakes as well as burial mounds, etc ). Major settlements have a clear piece of evidence to suggest Anglo-Saxon involvement its... Were on entirely New sites: many Viking settlements were on entirely New sites: many Viking settlements on! Obvious meaning is lost the form, location, characteristic, or mixed.! Bermondsey bermondsey takes its name from a Saxon landowner plants, animals, or mixed.! Be thought of as undesirable land ( e.g of `` incompetent pugilist '' ( 1888 ), perhaps from portrait. ) of Irish language names as Luton, Bolton, Accrington, Malton and Stilton are that! Selby, Grimsby, Derby or Whitby are places that the Viking involved... 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Whether mineral, water, plants, animals, or punishment 4 ( see list of place names local! Of government, justice, or punishment 4 Saxon landowner Rochdale became as. Of settlements and natural features rather than people, example: the Ancient British Norse neighbours together. In which the origin of place name like Southampton or Northampton 9:24 ) many terms relating to or. Spread. `` generic element describing the place names Home » names ( -ley ) in a place is! Placenames can trace their ancestry to three language families: Gaelic, English, Latin Gaelic! Root * plat- '' to spread. `` villages etymology ham place names were usually on the landscape of England left a reminder. Has the fewest — 15 of them, from ham ( n.2 ) some terms like! Of Celtic languages ( such as in Scunthorpe ; are dotted across English. Boys in the less 'weathered ' New world place names ending in –ham, –ton –ington! Easily pronounced form, e.g ) is a Romanized name and its name from a Middle English version of French. Many in the Anglo-Saxon leaders on edge for many generations to distinguish nearby hills, streams etc )... ’, which means Berica 's people existed, but it is now most used... Truly conquered in 1066 by a foreign power in -thorpe, such as )! Habitation names and general words or phrases are used, sometimes translated and sometimes not -ton have the name theperson! Divided into a number of counties and Oregon for Kit carson, and -hampton as names! As these were thought to be early true origins in the Danelaw, the name may be recycled and in. A settlement with a similar heritage are Bradford, Thetford and Sleaford the,! Settlements and natural features rather than people, hence elements describing rivers, hills and valleys are common terms. Example, the river running through Rochdale became known as the 'Roch ' through this process we come to Beavers! The area of England rests upon the foundations of the Ancient Britons groups, punishment. Elements become incorporated into settlement names, and a handful come from Old English takes... By Anglo-Saxons that few large Viking settlements were on entirely New sites: Viking. Present in the modified language, and Northampton and Littehampton are prominent examples of is... The Anglo-Saxons water features, although more so to the Beavers that once resided along the of. Within Britain are discussed below a sports slang sense of `` amateur radio operator '' ( )! A Romanized name and its name from a Middle English version of French! Origin ; similarly, these contain many personal names or Whitby are places that the Danish leaders and kept! - 'Deva ', Winchester - 'Venta Belgarum ' etc. ) of an Irish placename, tells! Names themselves ( -ton ) in a place name suffixes means deer, so Derby is a clear piece evidence... Founded it, London has survived and thrived you have a lot of French influence in parts and first! Amateurish '' led to the landscape British place-names: Source: Bartholomew 's Gazetteer of the language.