Celtic toponymy

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Map of Celtic-influenced regions of Europe

Celtic toponymy is the study of place names wholly or partially of Celtic origin. These names are found throughout continental Europe, Britain, Ireland, Anatolia and, latterly, through various other parts of the globe not originally occupied by Celts.

Celtic languages[]

Main article: Proto-Celtic language

The Proto-Indo-European language developed into various daughter languages, including the Proto-Celtic language. In Proto-Celtic ("PC"), the Proto-Indo-European ("PIE") sound *p disappeared, perhaps through an intermediate *ɸ. After that, languages derived from Proto-Celtic changed PC *kw into either *p or *k (see: P-Celtic and Q-Celtic languages). In P-Celtic languages, PC *kw changed into *p. In Q-Celtic dialects it developed into /k/.

P-Celtic languages include the Continental Gaulish language and the Brittonic branch of Insular Celtic. Common Brittonic is the ancestor of Welsh, Cornish and Breton.

Ancient Q-Celtic languages include the Continental Celtiberian and the Goidelic branch of Insular Celtic. Goidelic is the ancestor of the Gaelic languages Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx.

Frequent elements[]

  • Celtic *briga 'hill, high place' > Welsh bri 'honourable, respected' (not directly related to Welsh bryn 'hill'), Irish brí 'hill; strength, vigour, significance'
  • brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated'; used as a feminine divine name, rendered Brigantia in Latin, Old Irish Brigit 'exalted one', name of a goddess.
  • Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'
  • Celtic *dūnon 'fortress' > Welsh dinas 'city' & din 'fortress', Irish dún 'fortress'
  • Celtic *duro- 'fort'
  • Celtic *kwenno- 'head' > Brythonic *penn-, Welsh pen 'head, end, chief, supreme', Irish ceann 'head'
  • Celtic *magos 'field, plain' > Welsh maes 'field', Irish magh 'plain'
  • Celtic *windo- 'white, fair, blessed' > Welsh gwyn/wyn / gwen/wen 'white, blessed', Old Irish find, Irish fionn 'fair'

Continental Celtic[]

Austria[]

  • Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Latin Brigantium

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

From Celtic *windo- 'white' (Welsh gwyn) + *bona 'base, foundation' (Welsh bôn 'base, bottom, stump', Irish bun 'bottom, base')

Belgium[]

  • Ardennes, Latin Arduenna Silva

From divine name Arduinna, from Celtic *ardu- 'high' (Irish ard) + Latin silva 'forest'

  • Ghent

From divine name Gontia

Czech Republic[]

  • Košťany, originally Costen, from Celtic (Cornish) costean 'tin mine'

France[]

Most of the main cities in France have a Celtic name (the original Gaulish one or the name of the Gaulish tribe).

  • Amiens
  • Angers
  • Argentan, Argenton (Argenton, Lot-et-Garonne, Argenton-les-Vallées, Argenton-l'Église, Argenton-Notre-Dame, Argenton-sur-Creuse, Argenton River)
  • Arles
  • Arras
  • Autun
  • Bayeux < (Civitas) Baiocassensis; former Augustodurum. 'forum dedicated to Augustus
  • Bourges
  • Briançon < Brigantium, from Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)
  • Brive-la-Gaillarde < Briva 'bridge'
  • Brives
  • Caen (Cahan, Cahon) < Catumagos. From Old Celtic catu- 'battle' 'fight' 'combat', Old Irish cath 'battle, battalion, troop', Breton -kad /-gad, Welsh cad 'combat, troop'; mago- 'field, plain', Old Irish magh. The general meaning seems to be 'battlefield'[1]
  • Cahors
  • Carentan < Carentomagus, Idem Charenton, etc.
  • Chambord
  • Divodurum (Latin), now Metz, Lorraine, from Celtic *diwo- 'god, holy, divine' (Scottish Gaelic dia 'god') + *duro- 'fort'
  • Évreux < (Civitas) Eburovicensis ; former Mediolanum
  • Laon, Aisne, Latin Lugdunum Clavatum
  • Lemonum (Latin), now Poitiers, Vienne, first element from Celtic *lemo- 'elm'.
  • Lillebonne
  • Limoges
  • Lisieux < (Civitas) Lexoviensis ; former Noviomagus[2] 'new market', Old Celtic noviios 'new', magos 'field, plain'.
  • Lugdunum Convenarum (Latin), now Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, Haute-Garonne
  • Lyon, Rhône, Latin Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum, from Celtic *lug- 'Lugus' (divine name) or perhaps 'light' + *dūnon 'fortress'
  • Nant, Nans
  • Nantes
  • Nanteuil
  • Nanterre
  • Noviomagus Lexoviorum (Latin), now Lisieux, Calvados
  • Noviomagus Tricastinorum (Latin), now Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, Drôme
  • Noyon, Oise, Latin Noviomagus Veromanduorum, from Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'
  • Oissel, Oisseau-le-Petit, several Ussel, etc.
  • Orange < Arausio, a water god
  • Paris < Parisii (Gaul), a Celtic tribe spanning the Seine locally
  • Périgueux
  • Pierremande < Petromantalum < petro-matalo- 'four road' = 'crossing'
  • Rennes
  • Rouen < Rotomagus,[3] sometimes Ratómagos or Ratumacos (on the coins of the tribe). It can be roto-, the word for 'wheel' or 'race', cf. Old Irish roth 'wheel' 'race' or Welsh rhod 'wheel' 'race'. Magos is surer here : 'field', 'plain' or later 'market' cf. Old Irish mag (gen. maige) 'field' 'plain', Old Breton ma 'place'. The whole thing could mean 'hippodrome', 'racecourse' or 'wheel market'.[4]
  • Samarobrīva (Latin), now Amiens, Somme, = "Bridge on the [river] Somme": River name Samara + Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'.
  • Vandœuvres, Vendeuvre < vindo-briga 'white fortress'
  • 'Verdun, Latin "Virodunum" or "Verodunum", second element from Celtic *dūnon fortress.
  • Vernon < Vernomagus. There are other Vernons in France, but they come directly from Vernō 'place of the alder-trees'. 'plain of the alder-trees'. uernā 'alder-tree', Old Irish fern, Breton, Welsh gwern, dial. French verne / vergne.
  • Veuves, Voves, Vion

Germany[]

  • Alzenau

From Celtic alisa, s.f., 'alder'. (Compare the modern German Erlenbach) and Old High German (OHG) aha, s.n., 'flowing water'.

Perhaps from Celtic ambara, 'channel, river'. Compare Indo-European *amer-, 'channel, river' > Greek ἀμάρη (amárē), 'channel'. Or, from Celtic amara, 'spelt, a type of grain'.

  • a suburb of Höchst
  • Ansbach in Mittelfranken originally Onoltesbah 837 CE

From Celtic *onno-, 'ash tree' plus an OHG bach, 'small river'.

  • Boiodurum, now Innstadt, Passau, Niederbayern

First element is Celtic *Boio-, tribal name (Boii), possibly 'cattle-owner' (cf. Irish bó 'cow') or 'warrior'. Second element is Celtic *duro- 'fort'.

  • Bonn

From Celtic *bona 'base, foundation' (Welsh bôn 'base, bottom, stump')

  • Boppard

From Gaulish Boudobriga, "hill of victory". Containing the elements *boudo- 'victory' (Welsh budd 'gain, benefit') + *briga, 'hill'.

  • Düren, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Latin Durum

From Celtic *duro- 'fort'

  • Hercynia Silva (Latin), a vast forest including the modern Black Forest

From Celtic *(φ)erkunos 'oak' or divine name Perkwunos + Latin silva 'forest'

  • Kempten im Allgäu, Bavaria, Latin Cambodūnum, Celtic cambodūnom, *cambo- 'curved, bent, bowed, crooked', dūnon 'fortress'
  • Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Moguntiacum

From Celtic *mogunt-, 'mighty, great, powerful', used as a divine name (see Mogons)

From Celtic *mago-, 'plain, field'

  • Neumagen-Dhron, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Noviomagus Trevirorum
  • Noviomagus Nemetum (Latin), now Speyer, Rheinland-Pfalz

From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'

  • Remagen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Rigomagus or Ricomagus

Second element is from Celtic *magos 'field, plain'. The first may be a variant of Celtic rigi-' 'king, chief of *touta'

Some have seen this toponym as a hybrid form comprising a Celtic form and a Germanic suffix -ingen.[5] This may be so, since between the 2nd and 4th centuries, the area around the present day German university town of Tübingen was settled by a Celtic tribe with Germanic tribal elements mixed in. The element tub- in Tübingen could possibly arise from a Celtic dubo-, s.m., 'dark, black; sad; wild'. As found in the Anglo-Irish placenames of Dublin, Devlin, Dowling, Doolin and . Perhaps the reference is to the darkness of the river waters that flow near the town; if so, then the name can be compared to the English Tubney, , and in England. Compare the late Vulgar Latin tubeta 'morass', from Gaulish. The root is found in Old Irish dub > Irish dubh, Old Welsh dub > Welsh du, Old Cornish duw > Middle Cornish du, Breton du Gaulish dubo-, dubis, all meaning 'black; dark'

  • Worms, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Borbetomagus

Second element from Celtic *magos, 'plain, field', first perhaps related to Old Irish borb 'fierce, violent, rough, arrogant; foolish'

Hungary[]

From Celtic *(φ)erkunos 'oak' or divine name Perkwunos + Latin jugum 'summit'

Italy[]

Further information: List of Celtic place names in Italy

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

  • Genova, Liguria, English Genoa, Latin Genua

Perhaps from Celtic *genu- 'mouth [of a river]'. (However, this Ligurian place-name, as well as that of Genava (modern Geneva), probably derive the Proto-Indo-European root *ĝenu- 'knee', see Pokorny, IEW [1].)

Unclear. First element looks like Latin medius 'middle'. Second element may be Celtic *landā 'land, place' (Welsh llan); or, *plan- > *lan-, a Celtic cognate of Latin plānus 'plain', with typical Celtic loss of /p/.

  • Belluno, Veneto, Latin Bellunum

From Celtic *Bhel- 'bright' and *dūnon 'fortress'.

  • Bergamo, Lombardy, Latin Bergomum

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

  • Brescia, Lombardy, Latin Brixia

From Celtic *briga- 'rocky height or outcrop'.

  • Bologna, Emilia Romagna, Latin Bononia

From Celtic *bona 'base, foundation' (Welsh bôn 'base, bottom, stump')

Netherlands[]

  • Lugdunum Batavorum (Latin), now Katwijk, Zuid-Holland

From Celtic *lug- 'Lugus' (divine name) or perhaps 'light' + *dūnon 'fortress'

  • Nijmegen, Gelderland, Latin Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum

From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'

Poland[]

  • Lugidunum (Latin), now Legnica, Silesia

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Portugal[]

Further information: List of Celtic place names in Portugal
  • Portugal Portū (port) + Cale, the mother goddess of the Celtic people, who armed with a hammer, formed mountains and valleys. She hides in the rocks. Mother Nature. Other names: Cailleach (Calicia/Galiza), Cailleach-Bheur, Beira (three Portuguese Provinces of the Central Mountain Region amounting to Lusitania province).
  • Braga, Braga Municipality, Portugal

From Celtic *bracari- after the Bracari Celts.

From Celtic *brigant- 'divine name, Brigantia'.

From Celtic *beira- Cailleach/ Cale's other name Cailleach-Bheura or Beira, the Celtic Goddess of mountains, water and Winter. Three Portuguese provinces: Beira-Baixa, Beira-Alta and Beira-Litoral

  • Vale de Cambra, Portugal

From Celtic *cambra- 'chamber, room'.[6]

From Celtic *briga- 'rocky height or outcrop'.

  • Coimbra Cymru place of the people in fellowship - where the people gathered as in at a fairgrounds. Related to the word Cumberland and Cambria.
  • Douro, Norte, Portugal

From Celtic *Dur 'water'.

From Celtic *ebora- 'plural genitive of the word eburos (trees)'.

From Celtic *Lacobriga- 'Lake of Briga'.

Romania[]

Serbia[]

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Slovenia[]

  • Celje, Latinized Celeia in turn from *keleia, meaning 'shelter' in Celtic
  • Neviodunum (Latin), now Drnovo

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Spain[]

Asturias and Cantabria

  • Deva, several rivers in northern Spain, and Pontedeva, Galicia, Spain.

From Celtic *diwā- 'goddess; holy, divine'

Castile

  • Segovia, Castile and León, Spain, Greek Segoubía. From *segu-, conjectured to be Celtic for 'victorious', 'strength' or 'dry' (theories).

Galicia

Main article: List of Celtic place names in Galicia
  • Tambre, a river in Galicia (Spain), Latin Tamaris. Possibly from Celtic *tames- 'dark' (cf. Celtic *temeslos > Welsh tywyll 'darkness'). Other theories.
  • O Grove, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Ogrobre 912.[7] From Celtic *ok-ro- 'acute; promontory'[8] and Celtic *brigs 'hill'.
  • Bergantiños, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Bregantinos 830. From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated', or divine name Brigantia, or from Celtic *brigantīnos 'chief, king'.[9]
  • Dumbría, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Donobria 830. From Celtic *dūnon 'fortress' + Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'.
  • Val do Dubra and Dubra River, Galicia. From Celtic *dubr- 'water', *dubrās 'waters' (Welsh dwfr).
  • Monforte de Lemos (region), Galicia, Spain, Latin Lemavos, after the local tribe of the Lemavi. From Celtic *lemo- 'elm'.
  • Nendos (region), Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Nemitos 830. From Celtic *nemeton 'sanctuary'.
  • Noia, Galicia, Spain, Greek Nouion.[10] From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd).

Switzerland[]

Switzerland, especially the Swiss Plateau, has many Celtic (Gaulish) toponyms. This old layer of names was overlaid with Latin names in the Gallo-Roman period,[11] and, from the medieval period, with Alemannic German[12] and Romance[13] names.

For some names, there is uncertainty as to whether they are Gaulish or Latin in origin. In some rare cases, such as Frick, Switzerland, there have even been competing suggestions of Gaulish, Latin and Alemannic etymologies.[14]

Examples of toponyms with established Gaulish etymology:

  • Solothurn, from Salodurum. The -durum element means "doors, gates; palisade; town". The etymology of the salo- element is unclear.
  • Thun, Bern: dunum "fort"
  • Windisch, Aargau, Latin Vindonissa: first element from *windo- "white"
  • Winterthur, Zürich, Latin Vitudurum or Vitodurum, from vitu "willow" and durum
  • Yverdon-les-Bains, from Eburodunum, from eburo- "yew" and dunum "fort".[15]
  • Zürich, Latin Turicum, from a Gaulish personal name Tūros
  • Limmat, from Lindomagos "lake-plain", originally the name of the plain formed by the Linth and Lake Zurich.

Insular Celtic[]

Main article: List of generic forms in place names in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Goidelic[]

England[]

Place names in England derived partly or wholly from Goidelic languages include:

  • Cambois, Northumberland, possibly from Old Irish cambas ("bay, creek")[16]
  • Carperby, Yorkshire containing the Irish Gaelic given-name Cairpe[17]
  • Dovenby, from personal name Dufan of Irish origin (OIr 'Dubhán')
  • Dunmallard, Cumberland, possibly from Middle Irish *dùn-mallacht ("fort of curses")[18]
  • Fixby, from the Gaelic Irish personal name Fiach
  • Glassonby, from the Irish personal name Glassan
  • Liscard, Cheshire, possibly from Irish Gaelic lios na carraige meaning "fort of the rock".[19]
  • Malmesbury, from the Irish founder of the abbey Máel Dub
  • Melmerby, Yorkshire, from the Old Irish personal name Máel Muire

Place names that directly reference the Irish include Irby, Irby upon Humber, Ireby and Ireleth.

Ireland[]

Main article: Place names in Ireland

The vast majority of placenames in Ireland are anglicized Irish language names.

Scotland[]

Main article: Scottish toponymy

The majority of placenames in the Highlands of Scotland (part of the United Kingdom) are either Scottish Gaelic or anglicized Scottish Gaelic. Gaelic-derived placenames are very common in the rest of mainland Scotland also. Pictish-derived placenames can be found in the northeast, while Brythonic-derived placenames can be found in the south.

Isle of Man[]

Main article: List of places in the Isle of Man

The majority of placenames on the Isle of Man (a Crown dependency) are Manx or anglicized Manx.

Brythonic[]

England (excluding Cornwall)[]

Evidence for a Celtic root to place names in England is widely strengthened by early monastic charters, chronicles and returns: examples relate to Leatherhead and Lichfield. To describe a place as of the Celts, the Old English wealh becoming Wal/Wall/Welsh is often used. This was the main Germanic term for Romano-Celtic peoples, such as the Britons. Such names are a minority, but are widespread across England. For example, a smattering of villages around the heart and east of The Fens hint at this: West Walton, Walsoken, and the Walpoles indicate their continued presence. Nearby Wisbech, King's Lynn and Chatteris have Celtic topographical elements.

  • Arden (forest of), Warwickshire

From Celtic *ardu- 'high' (Irish ard)

  • Avon (river), Gloucestershire/Wiltshire/Somerset
  • Avon (river), Wiltshire/Hampshire/Dorset
  • Avon (river), Northamptonshire/Warwickshire/Worcestershire/Gloucestershire
  • Avon or Aune (river), Devon

From Brythonic *abona 'river' (Welsh afon)

From Celtic *iska 'water' (Irish uisce)

First element from Celtic *briga 'hill'

  • Brent (river), Greater London
  • Brentford, Greater London

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

  • Bryn, Greater Manchester

Derived from Welsh bryn, 'hill'.

From *kamulos 'Camulus' (divine name) + Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

First element from Brythonic *crüg 'hill'[20] (Irish cruach)

  • Crewe, Cheshire

From Old Welsh *criu 'river crossing'

  • Dever (river), Hampshire
  • Deverill (river), Wiltshire
  • Devon, Latin Dumnonia

First two possibly linked. Latter from tribal name Dumnonii or Dumnones, from Celtic *dumno- 'deep', 'world'

  • Dover, Kent, Latin Dubris
  • Andover, Hampshire
  • Wendover, Buckinghamshire

From Celtic *dubr- 'water', *dubrās 'waters' (Welsh dwfr; Breton dour)

  • Durham, County Durham, Latin Dunelm

First element is possibly dun, ' hill fort' (Welsh ddin, 'fort').

First element from Celtic *duro- 'fort'; in Dūrobrīvae, Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'

Possibly derived from Brythonic *iska, 'water, fish' and *leith, 'damp, wet'.

From Celtic *iska 'water' (Irish uisce); second element in Isca Dumnoniorum (Exeter) is a tribal name (see Devon)

  • Leatherhead, Surrey

From Brythonic *lēd- [from Celtic *leito-] + *rïd- [from Celtic *(φ)ritu-] = "Grey Ford"[20]

  • Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Latin Lindum Colonia

From Celtic *lindo- 'pool' + Latin colonia 'colony'

  • Manchester, Latin Mamucium or Mancunium

From Celtic *mamm- 'breast' (referring to the shape of a hill)

  • Noviomagus (Latin), now Chichester, West Sussex and Crayford, Kent

From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'

  • Pen y Ghent, Yorkshire

Equivalent with Welsh pen-y-gant ("summit of the border") or pen-y-gynt ("summit of the heathen").[18]

  • Pengethley, Herefordshire

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh pen) + possibly *kelli 'to stand' (Welsh gelli)

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh pen) + *koid- 'wood' (Welsh coed), or *cēd- 'wood'[20]

  • Pencraig, Herefordshire
  • Pendlebury, Greater Manchester
  • Pendleton, Lancashire
  • Pendock, Worcestershire

First element from Brythonic *penn- 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh pen 'head, end, chief, supreme') = Irish ceann 'head', from Proto-Celtic *kwenno-

  • Penn, Buckinghamshire
  • Penn, West Midlands

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill' (Welsh pen)

From English lower + Brythonic *penn- 'hill'

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill' and possibly p-Celtic *carr 'rocks'. This matches the earliest attestation from c. 1190, Pencher.

Old Sarum, Wiltshire, Latin Sorviodūnum Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

  • Segedunum (Latin), now Wallsend, Tyne and Wear

First element conjectured to be Celtic for 'victorious', 'strength' or 'dry' (theories). Second element is Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'.

  • Sinodun Hills, south Oxfordshire

From Celtic *seno- 'old' + *dūnon 'fortress'

  • Tamar (river), Devon/Cornwall
  • Tame (river), Greater Manchester
  • (river), North Yorkshire
  • Tame (river), West Midlands
  • Team (river), Tyne and Wear
  • Teme (river), Welsh Tefeidiad, Wales/Shropshire/Worcestershire
  • Thames (river), Latin Tamesis

Possibly from Celtic *tames- 'dark' (cf. Celtic *temeslos > Welsh tywyll 'darkness'). Other theories.

'Of the Trinovantes', a tribal name, perhaps 'very energetic people' from Celtic *tri- (intensive) + *now- 'energetic', related to *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd)

From Brittonic *weru- 'broad' + *lam- 'hand' [from Celtic *(φ)lāmā] (Welsh llaw, Irish láimh)

  • Vindobala (Latin), Roman fort in Northumberland
  • Vindolanda (Latin), Roman fort in Northumberland
  • Vindomora (Latin), Roman fort in County Durham.

First element from Celtic *windo- 'white' (Welsh gwyn); in Vindolanda, Celtic *landā 'land, place' (Welsh llan). In Vindomora, second element could be 'sea' (Welsh môr, Irish muir).

  • Wigan, Greater Manchester
  • York, Greek Ebōrakon, Latin Eboracum or Eburacum from Celtic *eburo- 'yew'

Scotland[]

The post-6th century AD Brittonic languages of Northern England and Scotland were Cumbric and Pictish. Cumbric place-names are found in Scotland south of the River Forth,[18] while Pictish names are found to the north.[21]

  • Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire

From *aber ("river mouth").[22]

Formerly Abercrosan, from aber ("river mouth").[22]

  • Arran

Possibly equivalent to Middle Welsh aran ("high place").[23]

  • Aviemore, Inverness-shire

An Aghaidh Mhòr in Gaelic, possibly involving Brittonic *ag- ("a cleft").[24]

  • Ben Lomond, Stirlingshire

Lomond is equivalent to Welsh llumon ("beacon").[18]

  • Blantyre, Lanarkshire

Equivalent to Welsh blaen ("extremes, source, front") + tir ("land").[18]

Formerly Bladebolg, from Brittonic *blawd ("meal") + *bolg ("sack").[25]

  • Burnturk, Fife

Formerly Brenturk, equivalent to Welsh bryntwrch ("boar hill").[22]

Equivalent to Welsh dôl ("haugh, meadow") + gwas ("abode").[22]

  • Darnaway, Moray

Ultimately from ancient Brittonic Taranumagos ("tunder-plain").[22]

Perhaps from Brittonic *dem- meaning "sure, strong".[24]

Equivalent to Welsh dôl ("haugh, meadow").[22]

Possibly equivalent to Welsh eglwysfechan ("small church").[18]

  • Edinburgh, Midlothian

From Din Ediyn, from a Brittonic form meaning "fort of Ediyn" (c.f. Welsh din).

Equivalent to Welsh iselfynydd ("low hill").[22]

  • Glasgo, Aberdeenshire

See Glasgow, Lanarkshire below.[22]

  • Glasgow, Lanarkshire

Equivalent to Welsh glascau ("blue hollow").[22]

  • Hebrides

Ebudes in Ptolemy (c. 140 AD), possibly from ancient Brittonic ep- ("a horse"; c.f. Welsh ebol).[26]

Equivalent to Welsh coed ("wood, forest").[22]

  • Lanark, Lanarkshire

Equivalent to Welsh llanerch ("a glade").[18]

  • Landrick, Perthshire

See Lanark, Lanarkshire.[27]

  • Lanrick, Perthshire

See Lanark, Lanarkshire.[27]

  • Lauder, Berwickshire

Equivalent either to Middle Breton louazr or Welsh llawedrawr.[18]

  • Lendrick, Kinross-shire.

See Lanark, Lanarkshire.[27]

  • Lendrick, Perthshire

See Lanark, Lanarkshire.[27]

See Ben Lomond, Stirlingshire.[25]

  • Mayish, Arran

Possibly from Brittonic maɣes ("field"; Welsh maes).[28]

From an element cognate with Welsh migwernydd ("boggy meadow").[22]

Equivalent to Welsh meddfaen ("meadstone").[22]

Equivalent to Welsh mig(n) ("bog, swamp") + Marr (a district name).[22]

Equivalent to Welsh mig(n) ("bog, swamp").[22]

  • Mounth, Perthshire, Angus and Aberdeenshire

Equivalent to Welsh mynydd ("mountain, moor, hill").[21]

  • Ochil Hills, Fife

Probably from Common Brittonic *okelon ("a ridge").[21]

In Gaelic Urchaidh, from ancient Brittonic are-cētia ("on the wood").[22]

From pant ("a hollow").[22]

  • Panlathy, Angus

From pant ("a hollow").[27]

  • Panmure, Angus

Equivalent to Welsh pantmawr ("big hollow").[22]

  • Pendewen, Angus

First element is possibly equivalent to Welsh pen ("head, top, summit, source").[27]

Equivalent to Welsh pen-y-cog ("summit of the cuckoo").[18]

Probably equivalent to Welsh pen ("head, top, summit, source").

  • Pennygant Hill, Roxburghshire

See Pen y Ghent, Yorkshire, England.[18]

  • Perth, Perthshire

Probably equivalent to Welsh perth ("bush").

  • Pinderachy, Anugs

First element is possibly equivalent to Welsh pen ("head, top, summit, source").[27]

  • Pinnel, Fife

Possibly equivalent to Welsh pen ("head, top, summit, source").[25]

Possibly equivalent to Welsh pwllrhos ("promontory pool").[29]

Equivalent to Welsh rhawdtref ("ramparts town").[22]

  • Urquhart, Ross-shire

Formerly Airdchartdan, equivalent to Middle Welsh ar-cardden ("on the enclosure").[22]

  • Yell, Shetland

Probably from Common Brittonic iâla ("unfruitful land, pasture").[30]

Wales[]

Main article: Welsh toponymy

The vast majority of placenames in Wales (part of the United Kingdom) are either Welsh or anglicized Welsh.

Cornwall[]

The vast majority of placenames in Cornwall are either Cornish or anglicized Cornish. For examples, see List of places in Cornwall.

Brittany[]

The vast majority of placenames in the west of Brittany (part of France) are either Breton or derived from Breton. For examples, see Category:Populated places in Brittany.

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Xavier Delamarre, Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise, 2nd edn. (Paris: Errance, 2003), 111.
  2. ^ See Noviomagus and Lexovii.
  3. ^ Archetype that exists everywhere in France, for example Ruan (Rothomago 1233 / Rotomagus 5th century), Rom.
  4. ^ Delamarre 2003, pp. 261-2.
  5. ^ . 1955. Namenforschung als Wissenschaft. Deutschlands Ortsnamen als Denkmäler keltischer Vorzeit. Frankfurt am Main.
  6. ^ "RIA - Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources".
  7. ^ Prósper, Blanca María (2002). Lenguas y Religiones Prerromanas del Occidente de la Península Ibérica. Universidad de Salamanca. p. 375. ISBN 978-84-7800-818-6.
  8. ^ Matasovic, Ranko (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic. Brill. p. 28. ISBN 978-90-04-17336-1.
  9. ^ Matasovic, Ranko (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic. Brill. pp. 77–78. ISBN 978-90-04-17336-1.
  10. ^ Ptolemy II 6.21.
  11. ^ such as Basle, Latin Basilea, from the personal name Basilius, ultimately of Greek origin,
  12. ^ such as Bern, founded 1191
  13. ^ such as Neuchâtel, founded 1011
  14. ^ Frick has been derived from (a) a Celtic word for "confluence", cognate with fork, (b) an Alemannic personal name Fricco and (c) Latin ferra ricia "iron mine, ironworks".
  15. ^ Bernhard Maier, Kleines Lexikon der Namen und Wörter keltischen Ursprungs, 2010, p. 51. Julius Pokorny, IEW (1959:325), s.v. "ē̆reb(h)-, ō̆rob(h)- 'dark reddish-brown colour'": "alb.-ligur.-kelt.-germ. eburo- 'rowan, mountain ash, yew, evergreen tree with poisonous needles'."
  16. ^ Bethany Fox, 'The P-Celtic Place-Names of North-East England and South-East Scotland', The Heroic Age, 10 (2007), http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox.html (appendix at http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox-appendix.html); "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2009-11-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ Stenton, Frank Merry (1970). Preparatory to Anglo-Saxon England: The Collected Papers of Frank Merry Stenton. Clarendon. p. 312. ISBN 0198223145. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j James, Alan. "The Brittonic Language in the Old North" (PDF). Scottish Place Name Society. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  19. ^ A. D. Mills, A Dictionary of British Place Names (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), s.v.
  20. ^ a b c Mills, AD. Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford University Press, 1991.
  21. ^ a b c Rhys, Guto. "Approaching the Pictish language: historiography, early evidence and the question of Pritenic" (PDF). University of Glasgow. University of Glasgow.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Watson, W.J.; Taylor, Simon (2011). The Celtic Place-Names of Scotland (reprint ed.). Birlinn LTD. p. 387. ISBN 9781906566357.
  23. ^ Mackenzie, William Cook (1931). Scottish Place-names. K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & Company. p. 124.
  24. ^ a b MacBain, Alexander (1922). Place names Highlands & Islands of Scotland. p. 156. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  25. ^ a b c Simon, Taylor; Markus, Gilbert (2006). The Place-names of Fife (Illustrated ed.). Shaun Tyas. ISBN 9781900289771.
  26. ^ Woolf, Alex (2012) Ancient Kindred? Dál Riata and the Cruthin. Academia.edu. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g Hall, Mark A; Driscoll, Stephen T; Geddess, Jane (11 November 2010). Pictish Progress: New Studies on Northern Britain in the Early Middle Ages. Brill. ISBN 9789004188013. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  28. ^ Mac an Tàilleir, Iain. "Gaelic Place Names (K-O)" (PDF). The Scottish Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  29. ^ Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness (Volume XX ed.). 1899. p. 330. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  30. ^ Forsyth, Katherine. "Protecting a Pict?: Further thoughts on the inscribed silver chape from St Ninian's Isle, Shetland. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (2020)" (PDF). University of Glasgow. University of Glasgow. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
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