List of Roman place names in Britain
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Britain_roman.png/450px-Britain_roman.png)
Roman Britain. Map from 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
A partial list of Roman place names in Great Britain.
This list includes only names documented from Roman times. For a more complete list including later Latin names, see List of Latin place names in Britain.
The early sources for Roman names show numerous variants and misspellings of the Latin names. Moreover, one of the principal authorities, Ptolemy, wrote in Greek so names that he records need to be transliterated back into Latin to reveal the original form.
Note that in general only one source is shown below for each name, although many of the names are recorded in more than one of the sources.
Lists[]
Geographic regions[]
Roman name | Modern region | Appearance |
---|---|---|
Britannia | Great Britain | T |
Hibernia | Ireland | T |
Caledonia | Scotland | T |
Settlement names[]
Roman name | Modern name | Appearances |
---|---|---|
Aballava | Burgh by Sands, Cumbria | ND, T |
Ad Ansam | Unknown (Higham, Suffolk?) | AI |
Ad Pontem | East Stoke, Nottinghamshire | AI |
Ad Pontes or Pontibus | Staines-upon-Thames, Middlesex | AI |
Aesica | Great Chesters, Northumberland | ND, T |
Maidenhead, Berkshire | ||
Alione or Alavana | Watercrook or Low Borrowbridge, Cumbria? | ND, AI |
Alauna | Maryport, Cumbria | ND |
Alaune | Alcester, Warwickshire | RC, T |
Amboglanna or Banna | Birdoswald, Cumbria | ND |
Anderitum | Pevensey, East Sussex | ND, T |
Aquae Arnemetiae | Buxton, Derbyshire | RC |
Aquae Sulis | Bath, Somerset | AI, P |
Arbeia | South Shields, Tyne & Wear | ND, T |
Ardotalia | Gamesley, Glossop, Derbyshire | RC |
Argistillum | Unknown (Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire?) | RC |
Ariconium | Weston under Penyard, Herefordshire | AI |
Bannavem Taburniae | unknown | SP |
Bannaventa | Norton, near Daventry, Northamptonshire | AI |
Braintree, Essex | ||
Blatobulgium | Birrens, Dumfrieshire | AI |
Blestium | Monmouth | AI |
Bomium | Cowbridge, South Glamorgan? | AI |
Bovio | Tilston, Cheshire | AI |
Branodunum | Brancaster, Norfolk | ND, T |
Bravonium | Leintwardine, Herefordshire | AI |
Bremenium | High Rochester, Northumberland | AI |
Bremetennacum Veteranorum | Ribchester, Lancashire | AI, ND, RC, T |
Brige | Ashley or Stockbrigde, Hampshire? | AI |
Brocavum | Brougham, Cumbria | AI |
Brocolitia or Procolitia | Carrawburgh, Northumberland | ND, T |
Brovonacae or Bravoniacum | Kirkby Thore, Cumbria | AI, T |
Burrium | Usk, Monmouthshire | AI |
Caesaromagus | Chelmsford, Essex | AI, RC |
Calcaria | Tadcaster, North Yorkshire | AI |
Calleva Atrebatum | Silchester, Hampshire | AI, P, RC |
Camboduno | unknown (Huddersfield?) | AI |
Camboglanna | Castlesteads, Northumberland | RC, T |
Camborico | Lackford or Hockwold, Norfolk | AI |
Camulodunum | Colchester, Essex | AI, P, RC |
Canonium | Kelvedon, Essex | AI |
Caromago | Cramond, Edinburgh | RC |
Castra Exploratorum | Netherby, Cumbria | AI |
Cataractonium | Catterick, North Yorkshire | AI, P, RC |
Causennis | Unknown (Sapperton, Lincolnshire?) | AI |
Cilurnum | Walwick Chesters, Northumberland | ND, T |
Clausentum | Bitterne, Hampshire | AI |
Clotagenium | Old Kilpatrick, Glasgow | RC |
Coccium | Wigan, Lancashire | AI |
Colonia | Colchester, Essex | AI, RC |
Conbretovium | Coddenham, Suffolk | AI |
Concangis | Chester-le-Street, County Durham | ND, RC, T |
Congavata or Coggabata | Drumburgh, Cumbria | ND, T |
Condercum | Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne | ND, T |
Condate | Northwich, Cheshire | AI |
Conovium | Caerhun, Clwyd | AI, RC |
Corinium Dobunnorum | Cirencester, Gloucestershire | AI, P, RC |
Coria or Corstopitum | Corbridge, Northumberland | AI, P, RC |
Crocolana | Brough, Nottinghamshire | AI |
Cunetione | Mildenhall, Wiltshire | AI |
Curia | Traprain Law, East Lothian | P |
Danum | Doncaster, South Yorkshire | AI, ND, T |
Delgovicia or Devovicia | Malton, North Yorkshire | AI, RC |
Deva Victrix | Chester | AI, P, RC |
Derventione | Papcastle, Cumbria | ND, T |
Derventio Brigantum | Stamford Bridge or Malton, Yorkshire | AI |
Derventio Coritanorum | Little Chester, Derby | RC, T |
Dictim | near Sunderland | ND, T |
Dubris | Dover, Kent | AI, ND, RC, T |
Durnovaria | Dorchester, Dorset | AI, RC |
Durobrovis | Rochester, Kent | AI, RC |
Durobrivae | Water Newton, Cambridgeshire | AI, RC |
Durocobrivis | Dunstable, Bedfordshire | AI |
Durocornovium | Swindon, Wiltshire | AI |
Durolevum | Unknown (Ospringe or Sittingbourne?) | AI |
Durolipons | Cambridge | AI, RC |
Little London, Essex | AI | |
Durovernum Cantiacorum | Canterbury | AI, RC |
Durovigutum | Godmanchester | RC |
Eboracum | York | AI, P, RC |
Evidensca | East Lothian | RC |
Gabrosentum | Unknown (Moresby, Cumbria or Gateshead?) | ND, T |
Galacum | Burrow-in-Lonsdale? | AI |
Galava | Ambleside, Cumbria | AI |
Garrianonum | Burgh Castle, Norfolk or Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk | ND, T |
Glannoventa or Cantiventi | Ravenglass, Cumbria | AI, ND, RC, T |
Glevum Colonia | Gloucester | AI, RC |
Gobannium | Abergavenny, Monmouthshire | AI, RC |
Halifax, West Yorkshire | ||
Isca Dumnoniorum | Exeter, Devon | AI, P, RC |
Isca Augusta | Caerleon, Gwent | AI |
Isannavantia | Norton, Northamptonshire | AI |
Isurium or Isubrigantum | Aldborough, North Yorkshire | AI, P |
Lactodorum | Towcester, Northamptonshire | AI, RC |
Lagentium or Legeolio | Castleford, West Yorkshire | AI, RC |
Lavatris | Bowes Castle, County Durham | AI, ND, RC, T |
Leodis | Leeds | |
Leucarum | Loughor, Swansea | AI |
Letocetum or Etoceto | Wall, Staffordshire | AI |
Lindinis | Ilchester, Somerset | P, RC |
Lindum Colonia | Lincoln | AI, P |
Londinium | London | AI, P |
Longovicium | Lanchester, County Durham | ND, RC, T |
Luentinum | Pumsaint/Dolaucothi | P |
Luguvalium | Carlisle, Cumbria | AI, RC |
Lutudarum | Wirksworth or Carsington, Derbyshire | RC |
Magiovinto | Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire | AI |
Magis | near Workington, Cumbria | ND, T |
Magnis | Kenchester, Herefordshire | AI, ND, RC, T |
Maglona | Wigton, Cumbria | ND, T |
Magnus Portus | Bosham, Sussex | P |
Manduesedum | Mancetter, Warwickshire | AI |
Mamucium or Mantio | Manchester | AI, RC |
Maromago | Midlothian | RC |
Margidunum | Bingham, Nottinghamshire | AI |
Mediolanum | Whitchurch, Shropshire | AI, P, RC |
Metchley | near Birmingham | |
Morbium | Piercebridge, County Durham | ND, T |
Moridunum | Axminster, Devon | AI |
Moridunum | Carmarthen | P |
Navio or Anovius | Brough-on-Noe, Hope Valley, Derbyshire | RC |
Nidum | Neath, West Glamorgan | AI |
Noviomagus Reginorum | Chichester, Sussex | AI, P, RC |
Noviomagus Cantiacorum | unknown (Crayford, Kent?) | AI |
Olenacum | unknown (Elslack, North Yorkshire?) | ND, T |
Olicana | Ilkley, West Yorkshire | P |
Onnum or Hunnum | Halton, Northumberland | ND, T |
Othona | Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex | ND, T |
Pennocrucium | Water Eaton, Staffordshire | AI |
Petriana | Stanwix in Carlisle, Cumbria | ND, T |
Petuaria | Brough, Yorkshire | P, RC |
Pons Aelius | Newcastle upon Tyne | ND, T |
Portus Abonae | Sea Mills, Bristol | AI |
Portus Adurni | Portchester, Hampshire | ND, RC, T |
Portus Felix | Filey, North Yorkshire | |
Portus Lemanis | Lympne, Kent | AI, ND, T |
Praesidium | unknown (Newton Kyme, North Yorkshire?) | ND, T |
Praetorium | unknown (Bridlington?) | AI |
Ratae Corieltauvorum | Leicester | AI, P |
Regulbium | Reculver, Kent | ND, T |
Rutunium | Harcourt Park, Shropshire | AI |
Rutupiae | Richborough, Kent | AI, ND, P, T |
Salinae | Middlewich, Cheshire | RC |
Segedunum | Wallsend, Tyne and Wear | ND, T |
Segelocum or Agelocum | Littleborough, Nottinghamshire | AI |
Segontium | Caernarfon | AI, RC |
Sitomagus, Sitomagum, Sitomago, or Senomagus | Unknown, possibly Ixworth, Suffolk | AI |
Sorbiodonum | Salisbury, Wiltshire | AI, RC |
Spinae | Speen, Berkshire | AI |
Sulloniacae | unknown (Brockley Hill?) | AI |
Trajectus | Keynsham, Somerset | AI |
Trimontium | Newstead, Scottish Borders | P |
Tripontium | Churchover, Warwickshire | AI |
Uxacona | Redhill, Shropshire | AI |
Uxelodunum or Axelodunum | Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria | ND, RC, T |
Vagniacae | Springhead, Kent | AI |
Varae | St Asaph, Denbighshire? | AI |
Vectis | Isle of Wight | P |
Venonae | High Cross, Leicestershire | AI |
Venta Belgarum | Winchester, Hampshire | AI, P, RC |
Venta Icenorum or Icinos | Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk | AI, P, RC |
Venta Silurum | Caerwent, Monmouthshire | AI, RC |
Vercovicium or Borcovicium | Housesteads, Northumberland | ND, T |
Verlucione | Sandy Lane, Wiltshire | AI |
Verterae or Verteris | Brough, Cumbria | AI, ND, T |
Vertis | Unknown (Worcester?) | RC |
Verulamium | St Albans, Hertfordshire | AI, P, RC, T |
Verometum or Vernometum | Willoughby on the Wolds, Nottinghamshire | AI |
Vindobala | Rudchester, Northumberland | ND, T |
Vindocladia | Shapwick, Dorset | AI, RC |
Vindolanda | Chesterholme, Northumberland | RC, T |
Vindomis | Neatham, Hampshire | AI, RC |
Vindomora | Ebchester, County Durham | AI |
Vinovia | Binchester, County Durham | AI, P, RC |
Viroconium Cornoviorum | Wroxeter, Shropshire | AI, RC |
Virosidum | Bainbridge, North Yorkshire | ND, T |
Voreda | Penrith, Cumbria | AI, RC |
See also[]
- List of Latin place names in Britain
- List of Latin place names in Continental Europe and Ireland
- Latin names of cities
- Latin names of regions
- Latin names of European countries
- History of Britain
- History of Ireland
- Roman sites in the United Kingdom
- United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names
Primary sources[]
- AI: The Antonine Itinerary
- P: Ptolemy's Geography
- RC: The Ravenna Cosmography
- T: Tacitus's On the Life and Character of Julius Agricola.
- SP: Confession of St. Patrick
- ND: Notitia Dignitatum
References[]
- A.L.F. Rivet and Colin Smith, The place-names of Roman Britain. London, 1979 (reprinted by Book Club Associates, 1981)
- "Britannia in the Ravenna Cosmography". www.kmatthews.org.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2020
- "The Antonine Itinerary". roadsofromanbritain.org. Retrieved 27 April 2020
- "Ptolemy's Geography - Book II, Chapter 2". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
External links[]
Categories:
- Alternative names of European places
- British toponymy
- Lists of Latin place names
- Lists of cities in Europe
- Lists of place names
- Lists of places in the United Kingdom
- Roman Britain-related lists
- Roman towns and cities in England
- Lists of cities by toponymy