This book discusses developments in the history of British house names from the earliest written evidence (Beowulf's Heorot) to the twentieth century. Chapters 1 and 2 track changes from medieval naming practices such as Ceolmundingchaga and Prestebures, to present-day house names such as Fairholme and Oakdene: that is, the shift from recording the name of the householder (Sabelinesbury, 'Sabeline's manor'), the householder's occupation (le Taninghus, 'the tannery') and the appearance of the house (le Brodedore, 'the broad door'); to the five main categories still in use today: the transferred place-name (Aberdeen House), the nostalgically rural (Springfield), the commemorative (Blenheim Palace), the upwardly mobile (Vernon Lodge), and the latest fashion (Fernville). The development and demise of pub names and shop names such as la Worm on the Hope and the Golden Tea Kettle & Speaking Trumpet are detailed, and the rise of heraldic names such as the Red Lion is explained. Chapters 3-5 track the house name Sunnyside backwards in time to prehistory, through English, Latin, Scottish Gaelic, and the influence of Old Norse. Sunnyside's ancient origins lie in the Nordic practice of solskifte, a prehistoric method of dividing up land according to position of shadows, but the name was boosted in the eighteenth century by Nonconformists (especially Quakers), who took it to America, and in the nineteenth century by American celebrity influence. The book contains an appendix of the earliest London house names to the year 1400, and a gazetteer of historic Sunnysides.

This 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. Included place-names range from the familiar to the obscure, among them 'Beer', 'Findlater', 'Broadbottom', and 'Great Snoring'. The A to Z entries are complemented by a detailed introductory essay discussing the chronology and development of English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish place-names, as well as an extensive bibliography, maps of Britain showing old and new boundaries, and a glossary of common elements in place-names. Also new to this edition is an appendix of recommended web links pointing to relevant online resources, thereby expanding the scope of the dictionary and providing the reader with an opportunity to explore the subject further. Both accessible and up to date, this dictionary is an ideal companion for anybody travelling around the British Isles, as well as for researchers and students with an interest in toponomy, local history, cartography, and lexicography.

This is the most complete guide to Irish place-names published in modern times. It explains the origin and derivation of the names of over 3,000 cities, towns, villages and physical features.

The book is in two parts. The first is a list of root or stem words that form the basis of the most common Irish place-names. The second, related to this list, is an exhaustive gazetteer of all 3,000 locations with accompanying explanations.

Other books by Laurence Flanagan Ancient Ireland Favourite Irish Names for Children: top 200 Irish Proverbs

Have you ever wondered where the unusual names of Elephant and Castle, Grim's Ditch, Soho, and World's End come from? Find out the linguistic and historical origins of these place-names and discover their significance in recording English cultural heritage. From Abbey Road to Canary Wharf and Piccadilly to Whipps Cross, this authoritative and absorbing dictionary covers the meanings behind over 1,700 names of places, streets, stations, and areas of London. The book comprises two main parts: a fascinating introduction, discussing the chronology and structure of London place-names following the development of the city from pre-Celtic times to the present day; and an A-Z of the place-names themselves, giving their date of first record, origins, and associations. It also features 9 maps of London, a useful glossary of the elements in London place-names, a select bibliography, and recommended web links. Now revised and updated to include the latest in names research and to include new place-names, this remains an excellent reference guide for local historians and a captivating read for both Londoners and visitors to the city.

Navigate your way in and around Glasgow with this detailed and easy-to-use A-Z Street Atlas. Printed in full-colour, paperback format, this A4 atlas contains 168 pages of continuous street mapping. More than 23,000 streets indexed. The main mapping extends well beyond central Glasgow at a scale of 5.4 inches to 1 mile, featuring postcode districts, one-way streets and park and ride sites. Areas covered include Hamilton, Motherwell, Paisley, Clydebank, Coatbridge, Airdrie, Renfrew, Kirkintilloch, Dumbarton, Milngavie, Cumbernauld, Johnstone, Barrhead, East Kilbride, Larkhall, Carluke. The large-scale street map of Glasgow city centre is at a scale of 10.82 inches to 1 mile. The atlas also includes: * Postcode map of the Glasgow area * Road map of the Glasgow area * Diagrammatic map of rail and subway connections A comprehensive index lists streets, places & areas, industrial estates, selected flats & walkways, junction names & service areas, stations and selected places of interest.

Originally published in 2004, this alphabetical dictionary is a major reference work, based on the archives of the English Place-Name Society and reflecting the scholarship in the subject, of all the names of cities, towns, villages, hamlets, rivers, streams, hills and other geographical locations included in the Ordnance Survey Road Atlas of Great Britain (1983). It provides a reflection of contemporary England, not just its historical past. Every place-name entry has a unique National Grid reference number, a list of historical spellings, the age and meaning of the name and its etymology (pre-Indo-European, Indo-European, Celtic, Primitive Welsh, Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, Old French, Middle English, Modern English). Where appropriate, a commentary is provided on comparable names, on the problems, history and significance of the name for settlement, economic and social history, the development of the language and on its variant pronunciations and spellings.

Towns, villages, islands, mountains, lochs and rivers of Scotland - all are listed, and the derivation of their names - some curious - some extraordinary - is given throughout. All have a story to tell, and Scotland's rich history is apparent in these place names. Celtic, Nordic and Anglo-Saxon influences that span 2,000 years from the beginning of the Common or Christian Era to the 11th century are shown. And as the incoming Celts did not find an empty land, some names can be traced to Pictish times. With the arrival of the Scots in the 6th century, Gaelic names began to appear, and then, a century later, Anglian names appeared from the south, to later be influenced by French and Dutch, becoming the 'Scots' tongue of the Middle Ages. The advent of the Norsemen in the 9th century produced Norse names in the North, the Northern and Western Isles and the South-West. Many names are Scots transliterations of Gaelic. Auchenshuggle, long thought of as an appropriate destination for Glasgow's tramcars is simply a Scots version of the Gaelic for 'rye field'. The book explains how, over successive generations with political, economic and cultural changes, while Scots became established, place names were not renewed or translated - they were merely Scotticised. And so today, with English as the common tongue, we can be reminded of the past at just about every turn. This book provides a fascinating journey that might take you from Aberbrothock to the Butt of Lewis, Cruachan to Dunnet, on to Ecclefechan and Friockheim, Gretna, Hoy, Ibrox, John o' Groats, Kells, pausing at Lanark before seeking out Mealfuarvounie, Nick, Oxgangs, Patna, Quanterness, Rum, Sciennes, Talisker, Uig,Voe, Waterloo, Yell and Zetland - your journey has just begun!

The rich history of North Carolina's Outer Banks is reflected in the names of its towns, geographic features, and waterways. A book over twenty years in the making, The Outer Banks Gazetteer is a comprehensive reference guide to the region's place names-over 3,000 entries in all. Along the way, Roger L. Payne has cataloged an incredible history of beaches, inlets, towns and communities, islands, rivers, and even sand dunes. There are also many entries for locations that no longer exist-inlets that have disappeared due to erosion or storms, abandoned towns, and Native American villages-which highlight important and nearly forgotten places in North Carolina's history. Going beyond simply recounting the facts behind the names, Payne offers information-packed and entertainingly written stories of North Carolina, its coastal geography, and its people. Perfect for anyone interested in the North Carolina coast, this invaluable reference guide uncovers the history of one of the most-visited areas in the Southeast.

The rich history of North Carolina's Outer Banks is reflected in the names of its towns, geographic features, and waterways. A book over twenty years in the making, The Outer Banks Gazetteer is a comprehensive reference guide to the region's place names-over 3,000 entries in all. Along the way, Roger L. Payne has cataloged an incredible history of beaches, inlets, towns and communities, islands, rivers, and even sand dunes. There are also many entries for locations that no longer exist-inlets that have disappeared due to erosion or storms, abandoned towns, and Native American villages-which highlight important and nearly forgotten places in North Carolina's history. Going beyond simply recounting the facts behind the names, Payne offers information-packed and entertainingly written stories of North Carolina, its coastal geography, and its people. Perfect for anyone interested in the North Carolina coast, this invaluable reference guide uncovers the history of one of the most-visited areas in the Southeast.

Of the Same Breath opens the door to a better understanding of why and how the animals and places of southern Africa have been given the names they have today. The vast reaches of the information provided in this book have been drawn together to create a veritable cornucopia of answers to the old question of how names originated. In this linguistically thought-provoking book, readers will be guided through the origins of animal names and toponyms, from the coastline of South Africa to the northern border of Namibia, and from the mighty elephant to the humble grasshopper.

Ever wondered if Cheapside really is cheap, what you do in Threadneedle Street, or who the knights of Knightsbridge were? Did you know that Piccadilly is actually an insult? And that Euston Road was built because there were too many cows on Oxford Street? Or that the River Fleet was covered over partly because of a drunken butcher? Take a trip down narrow lanes, through cobbled streets and crowded markets to discover the meanings behind the city's place names. Meet forgotten residents whose names survive in the places where they lived, such as Sir George Downing of Downing Street, and uncover tales from London's murky past that have shaped the modern city. From famous landmarks to forgotten rivers, grand thoroughfares to lost palaces, and ancient villages swallowed up as the city grew, Sunday Times bestselling author Caroline Taggart explains the hidden meanings behind familiar places. If you have ever wanted to learn more about the history of London and discover the people, events and stories that shaped our capital city, then come on a journey that will show you London in a new light...

This book delves deep into the vast field of Finnish onomastics, covering place names, personal names, animal names, commercial names and names in literature. It provides the history and current trends in this area of research, and also supplements international terminology with the Finnish point of view on the subject. Brimming with examples and clear explanations, the book can be enjoyed by the most adamant of researchers or those who just have a genuine interest in the study of names.

EVERYONE KNOWS OF THE ARTIFACTS of England's distant past from bones and fossils to jewellery and tools are buried beneath the soil of our country and regularly unearthed by archaeologists. Less appreciated is that there is a quite different historical trail which leads us back through many centuries of our country's history. However, this trail is not buried within the soil, but within our place-names. The earliest sounds of which were uttered by occupants of these islands over 2600 years ago and which have survived into many of the place-names we use today. Place-names have a special significance for a great many people, for their surnames are also names of English places: some will have local feature names such as Brook, Hill, Bridge, Wood and Field and some will have names recalling the village, town or district from which a mediaeval ancestor originated. What's in an English Place-Name? offers a fascinating chance to trace the names within our localities back to their roots and to give an absorbing insight into our district's histories. Discussing the origins of hundreds of place-names in England this book provides a comprehensive understanding of how place-names arose

Ever wondered where our towns and villages get their names from? Were they a deliberate creation by our ancestors or did they evolve naturally over time? South Staffordshire Street Names examines the origins of the names with which we are otherwise so familiar. Towns, villages, districts, hills, streams, woods, farms, fields, streets and even pubs are examined and explained. Some of the definitions give a glimpse of life in the earlier days of the settlement, and for the author there is nothing more satisfying than finding a name which gives such a snapshot. The definitions are supported by anecdotal evidence, bringing to life the individuals and events which have influenced the places and the way these names have developed. This is not just a dictionary but a history and will prove invaluable not only for those who live and work in the county but also visitors and tourists, historians and former inhabitants, indeed anyone with an interest in Staffordshire.

This dictionary of Shropshire place names examines their origins and meanings. It includes not only towns, villages and hamlets, but also rivers, streams, hills, fields and woods, as well as streets, buildings and public houses. A comprehensive description of the origin and evolution of each name is given, which brings to life the history of the place in a new and remarkably revealing way. Few are aware of the background of the names that are part of our everyday language, and Anthony Poulton-Smith brings this enthralling aspect of Shropshire's rich history to life.

John Goff wrote for people of all reasonings--historians, linguists, anthropologists, geographers, cartographers, folklorists, and those ubiquitous intelligent readers. Comprising one of the most informative and appealing contributions to the study of toponymy, his short studies have never before been widely available. "Placenames of Georgia" brings together the sketches that appeared in the "Georgia Mineral Newsletter" and other longer articles so that all interested in Georgia and the Southeast can share Professor Goff's intimate knowledge of the history and geography of his state and region, his linguistic rigor, and his appreciation of the folklore surrounding many of Georgia's names.

This A-Z map of Nottingham is a full colour, paperback atlas with 74 pages of continuous street mapping which extends to include: *Arnold *Beeston *Burton Joyce *Calverton *Carlton *Clifton *Cotgrave *Eastwood *Heanor *Hucknall *Ilkeston *Keyworth *Long Eaton *Radcliffe on Trent *Stapleford *West Bridgford There is also separate coverage of Bingham. Also included is: *a large scale city centre map of Nottingham *a postcode map of the Nottingham area *a road map of the Nottingham area *the full Nottingham Express Transit map Postcode districts, one-way streets, park and ride sites and safety camera locations with speed limits are featured on the street mapping. The index section lists streets; selected flats, walkways and places of interest; place and area names; railway stations; Nottingham Express Transit stops; hospitals and hospices covered by this atlas.

This book explains the meanings of more than 1500 place-names and discusses the techniques by which this information is obtained. It is not limited to England, but includes names from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man. In ordinary language, and assuming no special knowledge on the reader's part, the author briefly discusses a wide selection of names of counties, towns, villages, rivers, forests and hills. Names introduced or revived as a result of local government reorganisation are also considered. This book - the only short work covering the place-names of the whole of the British Isles - includes a comprehensive index and a glossary of terms. This fourth edition has been revised and updated by Dr Margaret Gelling.