… There are identifiable processes which occur over time to place names, and which alter the place names in such a way that their original meanings are lost. Most place-names are of Gaelic or Norse origin but there are traces of an earlier language in some names. In The Danelaw, the prefix is often the name of theperson who held that settlement. For instance, if a name no longer means anything in the modified language, it may drift towards a new form; e.g. 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). For example, Derby can be broken down to this basic explanation. Names are given to water features, hills and valleys, islands and marshes, as well as woods and districts. Another class studied was those relating to particular people, example: the Ancient British. Connecticut 31, including Hartford, an archaic spelling of Hertford (the birthplace of one of Thomas Hooker’s assistants, the Rev. More Filters. Many experts believe that Londinium is a Romanized name and its name has its true origins in the language of the Ancient Britons. Andrew Stewart (author) from England on January 29, 2018: Thanks Jorge, even my home city managed to make it across the Atlantic- Peterborough. Originally, This page was last edited on 21 December 2020, at 13:17. ; 2006 September, Josh Norem, a review in Maximum PC, page 78: Etymology can be a game of probabilities. 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. type. 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. Origins of Place Names. Many of the native British place names have been lost to us but the foreign tongue of the recent occupier often allude to the nature of the environment. In some cases these are in fact related to their Welsh name, but disguised through linguistic processes of mutation, for example Monmouth and the Welsh Trefynwy both referring to the River Monnow (Mon- < Monnow < Mynwy > -fynwy). Another factor is that few large Viking settlements were on entirely new sites: many Viking settlements continued on the traditional Anglo-Saxon sites. Etymology. 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. usage origin Close. Many in the former New Netherland colony are of Dutch origin, such as Harlem, Brooklyn and Rhode Island. 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). (Click herefor a complete list of U.S. places named after places in England.) 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. In lowland Scotland, names are of more diverse origin. French, English, Latin and Gaelic derived names occur in Canada. Swaledale) clearly represents a definable geographic location. From an English place name meaning "Becca's homestead". It does not claim to be exact; etymology is not an accurate science. Often the Roman name for their settlements had become absorbed and adapted by successive invaders. At its most severe, the name may be completely replaced. The capital city. However, as names are applied on a larger scale, they may become less useful as place names. 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. He has been on HubPages for many years. For every sensible sounding location such as a Southampton or Northampton, there is a Wetwang or a Caistor that can be located on the same map. In Cornwall most place-names are Cornish in origin, whilst in Cumbria there remain a number of place names in Cumbric, the Brythonic language of this region; examples including Carlisle, Helvellyn and Blencathra. For example, the river running through Rochdale became known as the 'Roch' through this process. [20] (see List of counties in Michigan.) Note: at this point this site's collection is quite small and somewhat uneven. At … Of course in Canada, you have a lot of French influence in parts and some First Nation names. Glad you found it interesting. In some cases the native meanings of a place name are wholly lost, despite guesses and theories, for example Tampa and Oregon. Southampton was hamm tun then Hamtun. The use of (-ford) in a place name indicates the settlement was once a crossing point across a river. I do find the subject very interesting. However, some names come directly from the English language or Scots language, and a handful come from Old Norse. 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. Words from nature whether mineral, water, plants, animals, or mixed forms. Here are a few settlements with its translation. 2. Carson City, for instance, was named for Kit Carson. Conversely, countries with a more uniform cultural/linguistic history tend to have less broken down and diverse place names - Wales for instance (especially when compared to neighbouring England). If you know the meaning of a place name that is not here, you are encouraged to submit it. Place names ending in -by , such as Selby, Grimsby, Derby or Whitby are places that the Vikings first settled. There is a high level of personal names within the place names, presumably the names of local landowners at the time of naming. 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. That the latter are 'places' is obvious. 80% Upvoted. 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. 3. Many place names are taken from the languages of native peoples. It is also possible to distinguish regional trends and differences in the naming of places, as is also discussed below. Australian place names are mainly a mixture of aboriginal and British-derived toponyms. Cambridge perhaps uniquely illustrates both normal and back formation. With every successive immigration, we find a different way to describe the land. in. BELANGER English From the given name BERENGAR. New Zealand place names derive mostly from Maori and from British sources. 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. Acton Acton comes from ac tun meaning oak farm or village. In the north and east, there are many place names of Norse origin; similarly, these contain many personal names. Most English place-names are made up of two elements (though some are threeor more). Ham 1 (spelled חם and probably pronounced as Cham) is the youngest son of Noah (Genesis 9:24). Before the arrival of invaders and settlers across the sea, the Ancient Britons had already named many of the original settlements but they would give way to more modern sounding cities and towns. And east, there are so many Viking place names to distinguish hills... Bradford to Wickford and Herefordshire many Welsh place names decided on up to around the 14th were. `` broad, '' from PIE root * plat- '' to spread. `` a list U.S.. 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