Geographical etymology: a dictionary of place-names giving their derivations

by Christina Blackie

B

BAAL,

a prefix in Phœnician names, derived from the worship of the sun-god among that people; e.g. Baalath and Kirjath-Baal (the city of Baal); Baal-hazor (Baal’s village); BaalHermon (near Mount Hermon); Baal-Judah, etc., in Palestine. Sometimes, however, the word is used as synonymous with beth (a dwelling), as Baal-tamar and Baal-Meon (for Bethtamar and Beth Meon). But Baal-Perazim, we are told, means the place of breaches, and has no reference to the sun-god, Baalbec (the city of the sun), in Syria.

BAB (Ar.),

a gate or court; Babel and Babylon, according to the Arabic (the gate of God), or from a word signifying confusion, Gen. xi. 9; Baab (the gate), a town in Syria; El-Baab (the gate), in the Sahara; Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of (the gate of tears), so called by the Arabs from its dangerous navigation; Bab-el-estrecho (the gate of the narrow passage), the Arabic name for the Strait of Gibraltar.

BACH, BATCH (Teut.),
BEC, BOEK (Scand.),
but bach, by mutation fach or vach, in Welsh names means small, little,

a brook; e.g. Snail-batch and Caldbeck (cold brook or swift brook); snell in A.S. and Old English means active, sharp, quick; and in Scotland, as applied to the weather, it means sharp or severely cold; Crumbeck (crooked brook); Lauterbach (clear brook); Skurbeck (dividing brook); Griesbach and Sandbach (sandy brook); Gronenbach (green brook); Over-beck (upper); Reichenbach (rich); Marbeck (boundary); Schoenbach (beautiful brook); Beckford (the brook ford); Bacheim and Beckum (the dwelling at the brook); Beckermet (the meeting of brooks); Bickerstith (the station at the brook); Laubach and Laybach (the warm brook); but Laubach may also mean rich in leaves—v. ACH. Bec in Normandy is named from a brook that flows into the Risle: Birkbeck in Westmoreland (the birch-tree brook); Ansbach or Anspach (at the stream in Bavaria); Schwalbach (the swallow’s brook), in Nassau; Houlbec, in Normandy, Holbeck, in Lincoln and in Denmark (the brook in the hollow); Fulbeck (Lincoln) and Foulbec, in Normandy (muddy brook).

BAD (Teut.),
BADD (Cym.-Cel.),

a bath or mineral spring; e.g. Baden, anc. Thermæ-Austricæ (the Austrian warm springs); Baden-Baden, anc. Civitas Aquenses Aurelia (the watering-place of Aurelius); Baden-bei-Wien (the baths near Vienna); Baden-ober (the upper baths); Franzens-bad (the bath of the Franks); Carlsbad or Kaiser-bad (the bath-town of the Emperor Charles IV. of Bohemia); Marien-bad, Lat. Balneum Mariæ (the bath-town of the Virgin Mary); Wiesbaden, anc. Fontes-Mattiaci (the baths or springs of the Mattiaci, dwellers on the meadow)—v. WIESE; Badborn (bath well); Wildbad (wild bath, i.e. not prepared by art), in the Black Forest; Slangenbad (the bath of snakes), so called from the number of snakes found in the mineral springs; Badsdorf (bath village), Bohemia. The Celtic name of the English city Bath was Caer-badon, or Bathan-ceaster (bath city or fortress); the Anglo-Saxons made it Akeman-ceaster (the sick man’s camp), or Aquæ Sulis (dedicated to a British divinity, Sulis, identified with Minerva).

BAGH (Ar. and Turc.),

a garden; e.g. Bag, or Baug, in Hindostan. Bagdad superseded Seleucia, which, it is related, was reduced to such a state of ruin as to have nothing remaining on the spot where it stood formerly but the cell of the monk Dad; hence the name of the new city founded by the Caliph Almazar, A.D. 762. Baghdad, i.e. the garden of Dad, a monk who had his cell near the site of the city; Bala-Bagh (high garden), in Affghanistan; Karabagh (black garden), a district in Armenia, so called from its thick forests; Alum-bagh (the garden of the Lady Alum), in Hindostan; Baktschisarai (the palace of the garden), in Crimea.

BAGNA (It.),
BANO (Span.),
BANHO (Port.),
BAIN (Fr.),

from the Lat. balneum (a bath); e.g. Bagnacavallo (the horses’ bath); Bagna-di-aqua (water bath); Bagnazo, Bagnara, Bagnari, towns in Italy, celebrated for their baths. In France there are Bagnères-de-Bigorre (the baths of Bigorones, i.e. the dwellers between two heights); Bagnères-de-Luchon (the baths on the R. Luchon); Bains-les-du-mont-doré (the baths of the golden mount); with numerous names with similar meanings, such as Bagneux, Bagneaux, Bagnol, Bagnoles, Bagnolet, Bagnot, etc. In Italy: Bagnolina (the little bath); Bagni-di-Lucca, Bagni-di-Pisa (the baths of Lucca and Pisa).

BAHIA (Port.),

a bay; e.g. Bahia or St. Salvador (the town of the Holy Saviour), on the bay, in Brazil; Bahia-blanca (white bay); Bahia-hermosa (beautiful); Bahia-honda (deep); Bahia-negra (black); Bahia-neuva (new bay); Bahia-de-Neustra-Senora (the bay of Our Lady); Bahia-Escosesa (Scottish bay), in Hayti; Bayonna, in Spain, and Bayonne, in France (the good bay), from a Basque word, signifying good; Baia (the town on the bay), in Naples; Bahia-de-todos los Santos (All Saints’ Bay), in Brazil.

BAHN (Ger.),

a way or path; e.g. Winter-bahn (winter path); Langen-bahn (long path); Wild-bahn (wild or uncultivated path).

BAHR, or BAHAR (Ar.),

a sea, a lake, and sometimes a river; e.g. Bahar-el-Abiad (the white); Bahar-el-azrak (the blue river), forming together the Nile; Bahar-belame (waterless river), in Egypt; Baraach (the sea of wealth), in Hindostan; Bahari (the maritime district), Lower Egypt; Bahr-assal (salt lake), Africa; Bahrein (the two seas), a district in Arabia, between the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea; also a group of islands on the same coast.

BAILE, BALLY (Gadhelic),

originally merely a place, a home, then a fort, a town, allied to the Grk. polis. The word joined with the article an is found as ballin for baile-an; e.g. Ballinrobe (the town of the R. Robe); Balbriggan (Brecon’s town); Ballintra and Ballintrae, in Ireland, and Ballantrae, in Scotland (the dwelling on the strand); Ballinure (the town of the yew); Ballintubbert (the town of the well); Ballinakill (of the church or wood); Ballinahinch (of the island); Ballinamona (of the bog), in Ireland; Ballycastle (castle town); Ballymena (middle town); Ballymony (of the shrubbery); Balmagowan and Ballingown (of the smiths); Ballymore and Ballmore (great town); Nohoval, corrupt. from Nuachongbhail (new dwelling), localities in Ireland. In Scotland: Balvanie, anc. Bal-Beni-mor (the dwelling of Beyne, the great first Bishop of Mortlach), in Aberdeenshire; Balmoral (the majestic dwelling, morail); Ballater (the dwelling on the hill-slope, leitir); Balmerino (on the sea-shore, muir); Balachulish, Gael. Baile-na-caolish (the dwelling on the narrow strait); Baldernock, Gael. Baile-dair-cnoc (the dwelling at the oak hill); Balnacraig (dwelling of the rock); Balfour (cold dwelling); Balgay (windy dwelling, gaoth, wind); Balfron (of mourning, bhroin), so called, according to tradition, because a number of children had been devoured by wolves at the place; Balgreen (the sunny place, grianach); Balgarvie (of the rough stream); Ballagan and Ballogie (the dwelling in the hollow); Balgownie and Balgonie (of the smiths); Balbardie (of the bard); Balmac Lellan (the dwelling of the Bal-MacLellan), in Kirkcudbright; Balmaghie (of the Maghies); Balquhidder (the town at the back of the country); Balblair (of the field or plain).

BALA (Turc.),

high; e.g. Bala-hissar (high castle); Bala-dagh (high mountain); Bala-Ghauts (the high Ghauts); Balasore (high dwelling); Balkan (high ridge), also called Mount Haemus (the snowy mount), hima (Sansc.), snow; Balkh (high town), anc. Bactra.

BALKEN (Ger.),

a ridge; e.g. Griesen-balken (sandy ridge); Moes-balken (mossy ridge); Schieren-balken (clear ridge)—the word is applied to chains of mountains in general.

BALTA (Scand.),
BALTEUS (Lat.),

a strait or belt; e.g. Balta (the island of the strait); Baltia (the country of belts or straits), the ancient name of Scandinavia. The Great and Little Belts, or straits.

BAN (Gadhelic),

white, fair; e.g. Rivers Bann, Bane, Bain, Bana, Banon, Bandon, Banney, etc.; Banchory (the fair valley).

BAN (Cym.-Cel.),

a hill or height; e.g. Cefn-y-fan (the hill-ridge); Tal-y-fan (the face of the hill), in Wales. B by mutation becomes f.

BANT, BANZ (Ger.),
POINT and PAINT, Ahd,

a district or enclosure, from Old Ger. pyndan (to confine), cognate with Cym.-Cel. pant; e.g. Brabant, i.e. Brach-bant (the ploughed district); Altenbanz (the old); Ostrevant (the eastern); Grunnenbant (the green district); Hasel-point (hazel field); Pound-stock (the enclosed place), in Germany; Drenthe, corrupt. from Thri-banta (the three districts), in Holland; Bantz, in Bavaria. From pant we have in Monmouth, Panteg (beautiful valley, têg); Pant-y-goitre (the valley of the town in the wood).

BANYA (Hung.),

a mine; e.g. Uj-banya (new mine); Nagy-banya (great mine), a town of Hungary with gold and silver mines, named by the Germans Neustadt; Abrud-banya (the mine on the R. Abrud, a district abounding in metals).

BARR (Gadhelic),
BAR (Cym.-Cel.),
BARD (Scand.),

a summit; e.g. Barmona (the summit or top of the bog); Barra-vore (great height, mor); Barmeen (smooth summit), in Ireland. In several counties in Scotland we have Barr (the uplands), but Barr in Ayrshire took its name from St. Barr; Barbreac (spotted point); Barrie and Barra (the head of the water, abh); Barcaldine (hazel point, calltunn); Barbeth (birch point); Barrglass (gray point); Bar-darroch (the summit of the oak grove); Bardearg (red point); Barcaple (the horses’ point); the Bard of Mousa and of Bressay, in the Shetlands, is the projection on these islands; the ancient name of the town of Perth was Barr-Tatha (the height of the R. Tay); Barwyn for Bar-gwn (a white-topped mountain, or tipped with snow), in Wales. In France the prefix bar is applied to strongholds, as in Bar-le-Duc (the duke’s citadel); Bar-sur Saone, Bar-sur Aube (the stronghold on the rivers Saone and Aube).

BARROW (Scand.),
BEORH (A.S.),

a mound of earth, especially over a grave; e.g. Barrow-by (the dwelling at the mound); Ingle-barrow (the mound at the grave of Ingold). But, in some cases, barrow may be a form of A.S. boerw (a grove), as in Barrow-den (the grove hollow), in Rutland.

BAU (Ger.),
GEBAUDE,
BAÜEN, to build,

a building; e.g. Brun-bau (the well-house); Neu-bau and Alten-bau (the old and new building); Buittle (the building), a parish on the Solway Firth; Tichel-boo (brick building); Forst-gebaude (the building in the forest). It takes the form of bottle and buttel in Germany, and battle in Britain—v. p. 27; Newbattle (new building in Mid Lothian); Wulfen-buttel (the dwelling of Ulpha); Bolton, in Lancashire, anc. Botl.

BAUM (Ger.)
BEAM (A.S.),
BOOM (Dut.),

a tree, a post; e.g. Baumburg (tree town); Baumgarten (the orchard); Baumgartenthal (orchard valley); Baum-krüg (the tree inn); Schöenbaum (beautiful tree); Heesbaum (the hazel-tree), in Germany; Bampton and Bempton (tree town), in Oxford and Yorkshire; but Bampton in Devon takes its name from the R. Bathom—its ancient name was Bathom-ton.

BEDD (Welsh),

a grave; e.g. Bedd-gelert (the grave of a favourite hound of Llewelyn, or, as others affirm, the grave of a saint named Kelert).

BEDW (Cym.-Cel.),
BEITH (Gadhelic),
BEDWEN (Welsh),

the birch-tree, cognate with the Lat. betula; e.g. Beddoe (the birches), Salop; Bedwelty, i.e. Bedw-gwal-ty (the wild beast’s dwelling among the birches), in Monmouth; Penbedw (birch hill), Monmouth. In Ireland: Beagh, Beaghy, Behagh, Behy, i.e. (birch land); Kilbehey, i.e. coill-beithne (birch wood); Behanagh (birch-producing river); Ballybay, i.e. Bel-atha-beithe (the ford mouth of the birch); Aghaveagh (birch field). In Scotland: Beith and Beath, in Fife and Ayrshire; Dalbeath, Dalbeth, Dalbeathie (the birch field or valley); Barbeth (the summit of birches).

BEEMD (Dutch),

a meadow; e.g. Beemd and Beemte (on the meadow); Haagschbeemden (enclosed meadow); Beemster-polder (the meadow embankment).

BEER, BIR (Heb. and Ar.),

a well; e.g. Beer-sheba (the well of the oath); Beer-Elim (the well of heroes); Beer-lahai-roi (the well of the living sight); Beirout (the city of wells), in Palestine; Bir, a town of Asiatic Turkey.

BEER, or BEAR (Teut.),
BUR (A.S.),
BYR (Old Ger.),

a farm, cottage, or dwelling; e.g. Beer-Regis (the king’s farm); Beer-Alston (the dwelling of Alston); Beardon and Berewood (the dwelling on a hill and in a wood); Aylesbear (the dwelling of Aegle); Bühren, in Hanover and Switzerland; Beuren, in Swabia; Grasbeuren (grassy dwelling); Sandbuur (sandy dwelling); Erlesbura (dwelling among elms); Beerendrecht (the dwelling on the pasture); Nassenbeuren (damp dwelling); Blaubeuren (the blue dwelling); Benediktbeuren (the dwelling of the Benedictines).

BEG, BEAG (Gadhelic),
BACH, or BYCHAN, by mutation fach or fychan (Cym.-Cel.),

little; e.g. Morbihan (the little sea), in Brittany; Taafe-fechan (the little River Taafe), in Wales. In Ireland: Castlebeg (little castle); Downkillybegs (the fortress of the little church); Bunbeg (small river mouth); Rathbeg (little fort).

BEIM,

a contraction of the Ger. bei-dem (by the); e.g. Beimbach, Beimberg, Beimhofen (by the brook, the hill, the court).

BEINN (Gadhelic),
BEN,

a mountain, cognate with the Cym.-Cel. pen; e.g. Beanach (a hilly place); Ben-more (great mountain); Ben-a-buird (table mountain); Ben-a-bhaird (the bard’s mountain); Benan, i.e. Binnean (the peaked hill or pinnacle); Bencleuch (stony mountain); Ben-cruachan (the stack-shaped mountain, cruach); Bendearg (red mountain); Bendronach (the mountain with the hunch, dronnag); Bengloe (the mountain with the covering or veil, gloth); Benamore and Bannmore (the great peaks, beanna, peaks); Bennachie (the hill of the pap, at its summit, ache); Benavoir (the mountain of gold, or), in Jura; Benclibrig (the hill of the playing trout); Benloyal, i.e, Ben-laoghal (the hill of the calves); Ben-na-cailleach (nun’s hill); Ben Lomond, named from Loch Lomond, quod vide; Benmacdhui, i.e. Beinn-na-muc-dubh (the mountain of the black sow); Ben Nevis (the cloud-capped or snowy mountain); Benvenue (the little mountain), as compared with Benledi; Benwyvis (stupendous mountain, uabhasach); Benvrachie (spotted mountain); Benvoirlich (the mountain of the great loch). In Ireland: Benbo, i.e. Beannabo (the peaks of the cows); Dunmanway, in Cork, corrupt. from Dun-na-mbeann (the fortress of the pinnacles). In Ireland ben is more generally applied to small steep hills than to mountains; e.g. Bengore (the peak of the goats, gabhar); Benburb, Lat. pinna superba (proud peak), in Tyrone; the Twelve Pins, i.e. bens or peaks, in Connemara; Banagh and Benagh (a place full of peaks); Bannaghbane and Bannaghroe (white and red hilly ground); Banaghar, King’s Co., and Bangor, Co. Down, anc. Beannchar (the pointed hills or rocks); but Bangor, in Wales, signifies the high choir; Drumbanagh (the ridge of the peaks).

BEL, BELLE, BEAU (Fr.),
BELLO, BELLA (Port., Span., It.),

beautiful, fine, from the Lat. bellus; e.g. Belchamp, Belcastro (beautiful field and camp); Belle-isle and Belile (beautiful island); Beaufort, Beaulieu, Beaumont, Beaumanoir (fine fort, place, mount, manor); Beaumaris (the fair marsh), so named in the reign of Edward I. Some think it may have been formerly Bimaris (between two seas), a name applied by Horace to Corinth; Belvoir (beautiful to see), in Rutland; Bewley and Bewdley, corrupt. from Beaulieu; Beauley, a river and village in Inverness-shire, named from Prioratus-de-bello-loco (the priory of the beautiful place), founded in 1230; Beachy Head, according to Camden, is the head of the beach, but Holland, who published Camden’s Britannia, says it was called Beaucliff, or, more probably, Beauchef (beautiful headland); Beaudesert (beautiful retreat); Belper, i.e. Beau-repaire (with the same meaning), in Warwick and Derbyshire; Leighton-Buzzard, corrupt. of its ancient name Legionbuhr (the fortress of the legion); Balaclava, corrupt. from its ancient name Bella-chiava (the beautiful frontier town, chiave), founded by the Genoese.

BEL, BIALA (Sclav.),

white; e.g. Biela (white stream); Bela, Belaia (white place); Belowes and Belowiz (white village); was or wies (a town or village); Belgrade, Ger. Weissenburg (white fortress); Bialgorod, Turc. Akkermann (white castle); Belki or Bielki (a name applied in Russia to snow-capped mountains); Berat, in Albania, corrupt. from Belgrade (white fort).

BEL, BEAL (Gadhelic),

a mouth, in its literal sense, but in a secondary sense, signifying an entrance into any place. In Ireland it is often united with ath (a ford), forming belatha (ford entrance). The word bel itself is often used to denote a ford; e.g. Belclair, i.e. Bel-an-chlair (the ford or entrance to the plain); Belatha (Anglicised Bella) is found in many names, as in Bellanagare, i.e. Bel-atha-na-gcarr (the ford mouth of the cars); Lisbellaw (the fort at the ford mouth); Bel-atha is often changed in modern names to balli or bally, as if the original root were baile (a town), as in Ballinamore (the mouth of the great ford); Ballinafad (the mouth of the long ford); Ballyshannon is corrupt. from Bel-atha-Seanach (Shannagh’s ford); Belfast, anc. Bel-feirsde (the ford of the farset or sandbank); Ballinaboy, i.e. Bel-an-atha-buide (the mouth of the yellow ford); Ballinasloe, Bel-atha-na-sluaigheadh (the ford mouth of the armies); Bel (a ford) is not found in Scotland, but a word with a kindred meaning as applied to land, bealach (a pass or opening between hills), is frequent there, as well as in Ireland, and takes the form of ballagh or balloch; e.g. Ballaghboy in Ireland, and Ballochbuie in Scotland (the yellow pass); Ballaghmore (great pass); Ballaghkeen (the beautiful pass, cæin); Ballaghadereen (the pass of the little oak grove); Balloch alone occurs in several counties of Scotland, the best known being Balloch, at the entrance to Loch Lomond; Ballochray (smooth pass, reidh); Ballochmyle (the bald or bare pass); Ballochgair (short pass); Ballochcraggan (of the little rock); Balloch-nam-bo (the pass of the cattle), etc.

BELED, or BELAD (Ar.),

a district; e.g. Beled-es-Shurifa (the district of the nobles); Belad-es-Sûdân (the district of the Blacks); Belad-es-Sukkar (sugar district); Belad-t-moghrib (the district of the West), the Arabian name for Morocco, also called Beled-el-Djered (the land of dates); Beled-el-Sham (the district of the north or on the left), the Arabic name for Syria, to distinguish it from Yemen (to the south or right). Syria was also called by the Turks Soristan, and by the Greeks Suria, i.e. the country of Tyre (Tzur, the rock). The word in its secondary sense means prosperous or happy—hence the Greeks called it Αραβια ἡ εὐδαίμων, to distinguish it from Arabia deserta (Ar.), El-Badiah (the desert), hence the Bedawees or Bedouins.

BENDER (Ar.),

a market or harbour. Bender is the name of several towns on the Persian Gulf, and also of a town on the Dniester; Bender-Erekli (the harbour of the ancient Heraclea), on the Black Sea.

BENI (Ar.),

sons of; e.g. Beni-Hassan (a town named from the descendants of Hassan); Beni-Araba (belonging to the sons of the desert); Beni-Calaf (to the sons of the Caliph); Beni-Sham (the sons of Shem), i.e. Syria; Beni-Misr (the land of Mizraim or Egypt).

BERG (Ger.),
BIERG (Scand.),
BRIG, BRAIGH (Celtic),

a hill, a summit; e.g. Ailberg (eagle hill); Bleyberg (lead hill); Schneeberg (snowy hill); Walkenberg (the hill of clouds); Donnersberg (of thunder); Habsberg, Falkenberg, Valkenberg (of hawks); Finsterberg (dark hill); Groenberg (green hill); Teufelsberg (the devil’s hill); Greiffenberg (the griffin’s hill); Geyersberg (of the vulture); Jarlsberg (of the earl); Dreisellberg (the hill of three seats); Kupperberg (copper hill); Heilberg (holy hill); Silberberg (silver hill, near a silver mine); Schoenberg (beautiful hill). The word berg, however, is often applied to the names of towns and fortresses instead of burg; and, when this is the case, it indicates that the town was built on or near a hill, or in connection with a fortress; e.g. Kaiserberg (the hill fort of the Emperor Frederick II.); Würtemberg, anc. Wirtenberg (named from the seignorial chateau, situated upon a hill). The name has been translated (the lord of the hill) from an Old Ger. word wirt (a lord). Heidelberg is a corrupt. of Heydenberg (the hell of the pagans), or from heydel myrtle, which grows in great abundance in the neighbourhood; Lemberg, Lowenburg, or Leopolis (the fortress of Leo Danielowes), in Galicia; Nurnberg, anc. Norimberga or Castrum Noricum (the fortress of the Noricii); Lahnberg (on the R. Lahn); Spermberg (on the Spree); Wittenberg (white fortress); Köningsberg (the king’s fortress), in E. Prussia and in Norway; Bamberg (named after Babe, daughter of the Emperor Otho II.), in Bavaria; Havelberg (on the R. Havel). There are several towns in Germany and Scandinavia called simply Berg or Bergen; e.g. Bergen-op-Zoom (the hill fort on the R. Zoom), in Holland; Bergamo (on a hill), in Italy. Berg (a hill) sometimes takes the form of berry, as in Queensberry, in Dumfries; also of borough, as in Flamborough Head and Ingleborough (the hill of the beacon light). Gebirge signifies a mountain range; e.g. Schneegebirge (the snow-clad range); Siebengebirge (the range of seven hills); Fichtelgebirge (of the pines); Erzegebirge (the ore mountain range); Glasischgebirge (of the glaciers); Eulergebirge (of the owls).

BETH (Heb.),
BEIT (Ar.),

a house; e.g. Bethany (the house of dates); Bethphage (of figs); Bethsaida (of fish); Bethoron (of caves); Bethabara (of the ford); Bethlehem (the house of bread), but its present name, Beit-lahm, means the house of flesh; Bethesda (of mercy); Betharaba (desert dwelling); Bethjesimoth (of wastes); Bethshemish Grk. Heliopolis (the house or city of the sun); its Egyptian name was Aun-i-Aun (light of light), contracted to On; Beit-Allah (the house of God), at Mecca; Beit-el-Fakih (the house of the saint), on the Red Sea.

BETTWS (Cym.-Cel.),

a portion of land lying between a river and a hill, hence a dwelling so situated; e.g. Bettws-yn-y-coed (the dwelling in the wood); Bettws-disserth (the retreat dwelling); Bettws-Garmon (of St. Germanus, where he led the Britons to the famous Alleluia victory over the Saxons); Bettws-Newydd (new dwelling).

BETULA (Lat.),
BOULEAU (Fr.),

the birch-tree; e.g. Le Boulay, La Boulay, Les Boulages, Les Boulus, Belloy (places planted with birch-trees).

BIBER, BEVER (Teut.),
BOBR (Sclav.),

the beaver; e.g. the Biber, Beber, Biberich, Beber-bach (rivers in Germany); Bober, Boberau, Bobronia (beaver river), in Silesia and Russia; Bobersburg (on the R. Bober); Biberschlag (beaver’s wood clearing); Biberstein (beaver rock); Beverley, in Yorkshire, anc. Biberlac (beaver lake), formerly surrounded by marshy ground, the resort of beavers; Beverstone, in Gloucester; Beverloo (beaver marsh), in Belgium.

BILL,

an old German word, signifying plain or level; e.g. Bilderlah (the field of the plain); Billig-ham (level dwelling); Wald-billig (woody plain); Wasser-billig (the watery plain); Bilstein (level rock); Bielefeld (level field); Bieler-see (the lake on the plain).

BIOR (Gadhelic),

water, an element in many river names; e.g. the Bere, in Dorset; Ver, Hereford; Bervie, in Mearns. The town of Lifford, in Donegal, was originally Leith-bhearr (the gray water); Berra, a lake in France; the Ebura or Eure, in Normandy; and in Yorkshire, the Ebro, anc. Iberus; Ivry, in Normandy, anc. Ebarovicus (the town on the Ebura).

BIRCE, BIRKE (Teut.),
BERK, (Lat.) BETULA,
BEORC (A.S.),

the birch-tree; e.g. Birkenhead (the head of the birches); Birchholt (birch wood); Berkeley (birch field); Birchington, Birkhoff (the birch-tree dwelling and court); Birkhampstead (the home place among the birches); Oberbirchen (the upper birches); but Berkshire is not from this root; it was called by the Anglo-Saxons Berroc-shyre, supposed to be named from the abundance of berroc (boxwood), or the bare-oak-shire, from a certain polled oak in Windsor Forest, where the Britons were wont to hold their provincial meetings.

BLAEN (Cym.-Cel.),

the source of a stream; e.g. Blaene-Avon, Blaen-Ayron, Blaen-Hounddu (river sources in Wales); Blaen-porth (the head of the harbour); Blaen-nant (of the brook); Blaen-Bylan, abbreviated from Blaen-pwll-glan (the top of pool bank); Blaen-Sillt, at the top of a small stream, the Sillt, in Wales; Blaen-afon (of the river).

BLAIR, BLAR (Gadhelic),

a plain, originally a battle-field; e.g. Blair-Athole, Blair-Logie, Blair-Gowrie (the battle-field in these districts); Blairmore (the great); Blaircreen (the little plain); Blairdaff (the plain of the oxen, daimh); Blair-burn (of the stream); Blair-craig (of the rock); Blair-linne (of the pool); Blair-beth (of birches); Blair-ingone (the field of spears), in Perthshire; Blair-glass (gray plain); Blarney (little field), in Ireland; Blair-Drummond, Blair-Adam, modern places named after persons.

BLANC (Fr.),
BLANCO (Span.),
BIANCO (It.),
BRANCO (Port.),
BLANC (A.S.),
BLANK (Ger.),

white; e.g. Mont-Blanc, Cape-blanco, Sierra-blanca (white mountain-ridge); Castella-bianca (white castle); Villa-bianca (white town); Blankenburg (white town); Blankenham (white dwelling); Blankenhavn, Blankenloch, Blankenrath, Blankenese (white haven, place, wood-clearing, cape), in Germany; Bianchi-mandri (white sheep-folds), in Sicily; Branco (the white stream), in Brazil; Los-Brancos (the white mountains); Cata-branca (the white cove); Casa-branca (the white house), in Brazil.

BLISKO (Sclav.),

near; e.g. Bliesdorf, Bliesendorf, Blieskendorf (near village); Bliskau (near meadow).

BLOTO, BLATT (Sclav.),

a marsh; e.g. Blotto, Blottnitz (marshy land); Wirchen-blatt (high marsh); Sa-blatt, Sablater, Zablatt (behind the marsh); Na-blatt (near the marsh). In some cases the b in this word is changed into p, as in Plotsk and Plattkow (the marshy place); Plattensee or Balaton (the lake in the marshy land).

BOCA (Span., Port., and It.),

a mouth—in topography, the narrow entrance of a river or bay; e.g. Boca-grande, Boca-chica (great and little channel), in South America; La Bochetta (the little opening), a mountain pass in the Apennines; Desemboque (the river mouth), in Brazil.

BOD (Cym.-Cel.),

a dwelling; e.g. Bodmin, in Cornwall, corrupt. from Bodminian (the dwelling of monks); Bodffaris (the site of Varis), the old Roman station on the road to Chester; Hafod, the name of several places in Wales, corrupt. from Hafbod (a summer residence); Bosher or Bosherston, corrupt. from Bod and hir, long (the long ridge abode), in Wales.

BODDEN (Teut.), BOD (Scand.),

a bay, the ocean swell; e.g. Bodden (an arm of the sea which divides the island of Rugen from Pomerania); Bodden-ness (the headland of the bay), on the east coast of Scotland.

BODEN (Ger.),

the ground, soil—in topography, a meadow; e.g. Gras-boden (grassy meadow); Dunkel-boden (dark meadow). It may sometimes, however, be used instead of bant or paint—v. p. 18; and in Bodenburg, in Brunswick, it is a corrupt. of Ponteburg (bridge town); and Bodenheim is from a personal name, like Bodensee—v. SEE.

BOGEN (Ger.),

a bend or bow—in topography, applied to the bend of a river; e.g. Bogen, anc. Bogana (the bending river); Bogen, a town of Bavaria, on a bend of the Danube; Ellbogen or Ellenbogen, Lat. Cubitus (the town on the elbow or river bend), in Bohemia; Bogenhausen (the houses on the river bend); Langen-bogen (the long bend); Entli-buch (the bend on the R. Entle), in Switzerland.

BOLD, BATTLE, or BOTTLE,
BÜTTEL, BLOD (Teut.),
BOL, or BO (Scand.),

a dwelling; e.g. Newbattle, Newbottle, Newbold (new dwelling), as distinguished from Elbottle (old dwelling); Morebattle (the dwelling on the marshy plain); Bolton, in Lancashire, A.S. Botl; Buittle, in Kirkcudbright; Newbald, Yorkshire; Harbottle (the dwelling of the army, here), a place in Northumberland where, in former times, soldiers were quartered; Erribold (the dwelling on the tongue of land, eir); Maybole, in Ayrshire, anc. Minnibole (the dwelling on the mossy place, Cym.-Cel., myswn); Exnabul, in Shetland (a place for keeping cattle); yxn, Scand. (a bull or cow); Walfenbuttel (the dwelling of Ulpha); Brunsbottle (of Bruno); Ritzbüttel (of Richard); Griesenbottel (sandy dwelling); Rescbüttel (the dwelling among rushes).

BONUS (Lat.),
BUEN (Span.),
BOA,
BOM (Port.),

good; e.g. Bonavista, Boavista (good view); Buenos-Ayres (good breezes), in South America; Buenaventura (good luck), in California.

BOOM (Sansc.),

Bhuma (land, country); e.g. Birboom (the land of heroes); Arya-Bhuma (the noble land), the Sanscrit name for Hindostan.

BOR (Sclav.),

wood; e.g. Bohra, Bohrau, Borowa, Borow (woody place); Borovsk (the town in the wood); Sabor and Zaborowa (behind the wood); Borzna (the woody district); the Borysthenes, now the R. Dnieper (the woody wall), from stena (a wall or rampart), the banks of the river having been covered with wood; Ratibor (the wood of the Sclavonic god Razi).

BRACHE (Teut.),
BRAK (Scand.),

land broken up for tillage, Old Ger. pracha (to plough); e.g. Brabant, anc. Bracbant (the ploughed district); Brachstadt, Brachfeld, Brachrade (the ploughed place, field, clearing); Brakel (the ploughed land), in Holland; Hohenbrack (high ploughed land).

BRAND (Ger.),

a place cleared of wood by burning; e.g. Eber-brand and Ober-brand (the upper clearing); Newen-brand and Alten-brand (the old and new clearing); Brandenburg (the burned city), so called, according to Buttman, by the Germans; by the Wends corrupted into Brennabor, and in their own language named Schorelitz (the destroyed city), because, in their mutual wars, it had been destroyed by fire. Bran and Brant, in English names, are probably memorials of the original proprietors of the places, as in Brandon, Cumbran, Brandeston; Brantingham (the home of the children of Brand)—v. ING, INGEN.

BRASA (Sclav.),
BERESA,

the birch-tree; e.g. Briesnitz, Beresoff, Beresek, Beresenskoi, Beresovoi (places where birches abound); Gross-Briesen (great birch-tree town); Bresinchen (little Briesen), a colony from it; Birsa and Beresina (the birch-tree river); Birsk, a town on the R. Birsa; Brzesce-Litewski (the house of mercy at the birches); the letter b in this word is often changed into p by the Germans, as in Presinitz for Brezenice (birch-tree village), in Bohemia; also Priebus, with the same meaning, in Silesia; Priegnitz, i.e. the town of the Brizanen (dwellers among birches); Briezen (the place of birches), in Moravia, is Germanised into Friedeck (woody corner); Bryezany (abounding in birches), in Galicia.

BRAY (Cel.),

damp ground, a marshy place; e.g. Bray, in Normandy; Bray sur Somme and Bray sur Seine, situated on these rivers; Bray-Maresch, near Cambray; Bré Côtes-de-Nord; Bray-la-Campagne (calvados, etc.)

BREIT (Ger.),
BRAD (A.S.),
BRED (Scand.),

broad; brede, Dutch (a plain); e.g. Breitenbach and Bredenbeke (broad brook); Breda (the flat meadowland), in Holland; Breitenbrunn (broad well); Breitenstein, Breitenburg (broad fortress); Bradford, in Yorkshire, and Bredevoort, in Holland (broad ford); Bredy (the broad water), in Dorset; Brading, in Isle of Wight, and Bradley (broad meadow); Bradshaw (broad thicket); Broadstairs, corrupt. from its ancient name Bradstow (broad place).

BRIA (Thracian),

a town; e.g. Selymbria, Mesymbria.

BRIGA (Cel.),
BRIVA,

a general name among the Celts for a town—so called, apparently, from the Celtic words braigh, brugh, brig (a heap, pile, or elevation), because the nucleus of towns, among uncivilised tribes in early times, were merely fortified places erected on heights; cognate with the Teut. and Scand. burg, byrig, the Sclav. brieg (an embankment or ridge), and the Scottish brae (a rising ground). Hence the name of the Brigantes (dwellers on hills); the word Brigand (literally, a mountaineer); Briançon, anc. Brigantium (the town on the height); Brieg, a town in Silesia; Braga and Bragança, fortified cities in Portugal; Talavera, in Spain, anc. Tala-briga, the town on the tala, Span. (a wood clearing); Bregenz, anc. Brigantium, in the Tyrol; Breisach Alt and Neuf (the old and new town on the declivity), in the duchy of Baden—the old fortress was situated on an isolated basalt hill; Brixen (the town among the hills), in the Tyrol. In Scotland there are Braemar (the hilly district of Mar); Braidalbane (the hill country of Albainn, i.e. Scotland); Braeriach (the gray mountain, riabhach); the Brerachin, a river and district in Perthshire; Brugh and Bruighean, in Ireland, signifying originally a hill, was subsequently applied to a palace or a distinguished residence. The term, as applied to the old residences, presupposed the existence of a fortified brugh or rath, several of which still remain. The word has suffered many corruptions: thus Bruree, in Limerick, is from Brugh-righ (the king’s fort); and Bruighean (little fort) has been transformed into Bruff, Bruis, Bruce, or Bryan. The word briva, on the other hand, was generally applied to towns situated on rivers—as in Amiens, anc. Samarabrina, on the R. Somme—and was gradually used as synonymous with pons (bridge), as in Pontoise, anc. Briva-Isara (the bridge on the Ouse); Briare, anc. Brivodurum (the bridge over the water); Brionde, anc. Brives.

BRINK (Ger.),

a grassy ridge; e.g. Osterbrink (east ridge); Mittelbrink (middle ridge); Zandbrink (sand ridge); Brinkhorst (the ridge of the thicket).

BRO (Cym.-Cel.),

a district; e.g. Broburg (the fort of the district), in Warwickshire; Pembroke (the head, pen, of the district, it being the land’s end of Wales).

BROC (A.S.),

a rushing stream; e.g. Cranbrook (the stream of the cranes); Wallbrook (probably the stream at the wall); Wambrook (Woden’s stream).

BROC (A.S.),
BROX,

the badger; e.g. Brox-bourne and Broxburn, Brogden, Brokenhurst, Brockley, Broxholme (the stream, hollow, thicket, meadow, and hill of the badger).

BROD (Sclav.),

a ford; e.g. Brod and Brody (at the ford), the name of several towns in Moravia, Bohemia, Hungary, and Turkey; Brod-sack (ford dwelling); Brod-Ungarisch (the Hungarian ford), on the Olsawa; Brod-Deutsch (the German ford), on the Sasawa; Brod-Bohmisch (the Bohemian ford), on the Zembera; Krasnabrod (beautiful ford); Eisenbrod (the ford of the Iser); Brodkowitz (ford station).

BROEK, BRUOCH (Teut.),

a marsh; e.g. Broek, a town in Holland; Bogen-brok (the bending marsh); Breiden-bruch (the broad marsh); Aalten-broek (the old marsh); Eichen-bruch (the oak marsh); Broekem and Broickhausen (marsh dwelling); Bruchmühle (the mill on the marsh); Brussels or Bruxelles, anc. Bruoch-sella (the seat or site on the marsh); Oberbruch and Niederbruch (upper and lower marsh).

BROG (Sclav.),
BROW,

a dam; e.g. Biesenbrow and Priebrow, from Pschibrog (elder-tree dam), by the Germans called Furstenberg, on the Oder; Colberg, Sclav. Kola-brog (around the dam).

BRON (Welsh),

the slope or side of a hill; e.g. Brongest (the slope of the cest or deep glen); Bronwydd (the slope covered with trees); Wydd, in Wales.

BRÜCKE (Ger.),
BRIGGE (A.S.),
BRO, BRU (Scand.),

a bridge; e.g. Brugg-Furstenfeld (the bridge at the prince’s field); Brugg-an-der-Leitha (the bridge across the Leitha); Brugg-kloster (the bridge at the monastery); Langenbrück, Langenbrücken (long bridge); Bruges, in Belgium (a city with many bridges); Saarbrook (on the R. Saar); Osnaburg, in Hanover, anc. Osnabrücke or Asenbrücke (the bridge on the R. Ase); Voklabrück (on the R. Vökle); Bruchsal, in Baden (the bridge on the Salzbach); Zweibrücken or Deux-ponts (the two bridges); Zerbruggen (at the bridge). In England: Bridgenorth, anc. Brugge-Morfe (the bridge at the wood called Morfe, on the opposite bank of the Severn); Brixham, Brixworth, and Brigham (bridge town); Brixton, A.S. Brixges-stan (the bridge stone); Cambridge, Cel. Caer-Grant (the fort and bridge on the R. Granta, now the Cam); Tunbridge (over the R. Tun or Ton), a branch of the Medway; Colebrook, in Bucks (the bridge over the R. Cole); Oxbridge (the bridge over the water, uisge); Staley-bridge (at a bridge over the R. Tame), named after the Staveleigh, a family who resided there; Bridgewater, corrupt. from Burgh-Walter (the town of Walter Douay, its founder); Bridgend and Brigham, villages in different parts of Scotland; Brora (bridge river), in Sutherlandshire, named when bridges were rarities; Trowbridge, however, did not get its name from this root, but is a corrupt. of its ancient name, Trutha-burh (the loyal town).

BRÜEL (Teut.),
BRÜHL,

a marshy place, overgrown with brushwood, cognate with the French breuil and bruyère (a thicket), the Welsh pryskle, and the Breton brügek; e.g. Bruel, Bruhl, and Priel, in Germany; Bruyères, Broglie, and Brouilly (the thicket), in France; also Breuil, Bruel, Breuillet, Le Brulet, etc., with the same meaning, or sometimes a park. St. Denis du Behellan, in Eure, was formerly Bruellant, i.e. the breuil or park of Herland.

BRUNN, BRUNNEN (Ger.),
BRONGA (Scand.),

a well, especially a mineral well; e.g. Heilbroun (holy well); Frau-brunnen, Lat. Fons-beatæ-Virginis (the well of Our Lady); Brunn-am-Gebirge (the well at the hill-ridge); Haupt-brun (well-head); Lauter-brunnen (clear well); Salz-brunn, Warm-brunn, Schoen-brunn, Kaltenbrunn (the salt, hot, beautiful, cold, mineral wells); Baldersbrunnen, Baldersbrond (the well of the Teutonic god Balder); Cobern, corrupt. from Cobrunnen (the cow’s well); Paderborn (the well or source of the R. Pader), in Germany. In the north of France, and in the departments bordering on Germany, we find traces of this German word; e.g. Mittel-broun (middle well); Walsch-broun (foreign well); Belle-brune (beautiful well); Stein-brunn (stony well), etc.

BRYN (Cym.-Cel.),

a hill-ridge; bron (a round hill); e.g. Brincroes, Brin-eglwys, Bron-llys (the cross, church, palace, on the hill); Bryn-gwynn (fair hill); Brynn-uchil (high hill); Bron-Fraidd (St. Bridget’s hill); Brown-Willy, in Cornwall, corrupt. from Bryn-huel (the tin mine ridge); Brindon-hill, in Somerset (merely the hill), with synonymous word dun added to Bryn; and Brandon, in Suffolk, with the same meaning; Bryn-mawr (the great hill), in Wales; Bron-gwyn (white hill); Bryn-y-cloddian (the hill of fences, clawd), so called from its strong fortifications; Bryn-Barlwm (the bare-topped mountain); Bryn-Gwyddon (the hill of Gwyddon, a mythological philosopher); Bryn-kinallt (a mountain without trees); Bryn-berian (the kite’s hill, beri, a kite); Bryn-bo, with the same meaning, boda in Wales; Bryn-chwarew (the hill of sports); here the ancient inhabitants of Wales used to meet to play different games in competition; Brienne-la-château (the castle on the hill), in France; Brientz, in Switzerland, on the Brienz See (a lake surrounded by hills); Brendenkopf (hill-head), and the Brennen Alps, the culminating points in the mountains of Tyrol.

BUCHE (Ger.),
BOC (A.S.),
BOG (Scand.),
BUK (Sclav.),

the beech-tree; e.g. Buch-au, Buch-berg, Buch-egg (the meadow, hill, corner of the beeches); Buchholtz and Bochholt (beech-wood); Bockum, Bucheim (beech-dwelling); Butchowitz (the place of beeches), in Moravia; Bochnia and Buchowina (with the same meaning), in Poland; Bickleigh (beech-meadow). But Bocking in Essex, and the county of Buckingham, as well as Bouquinheim in Artois, and Bochingen in Wurtemberg, were named from the Bocingas (a tribe), probably the dwellers among beeches.

BUDA, BUS (Sclav.),
BWTH, BOTH (Gadhelic),
BOD (Cym.-Cel.),
BUDE (Ger.),
BOTHY (Scotch),
BOT (Brez.),

a hut or dwelling; e.g. Budin, Budzin, Bautzen, or Budissen (the huts); Budweis (the district of hut villages), in Bohemia; Budzow, Botzen (the place of huts); Briebus (birch-tree dwelling); Trebus and Triebus (the three dwellings); Putbus (under the hut); Dobberbus (good dwelling, dobry, good); but Buda, in Hungary, took its name from Buda, the brother of Attila, as well as Bud-var and Bud-falva (Buda’s fort and village). The island of Bute, in the Firth of Clyde, is said to have derived its name from the bwth or cell of St. Brandon, but its earlier name was Rothsay, from a descendant of Simon Brek (i.e. Rother’s Isle), while its Gaelic name is Baile-Mhoide (the dwelling of the court of justice); Bothwell, anc. Both-uill (the dwelling on the angle of the R. Clyde). In Ireland we meet with Shanboe, Shanbogh (the old hut, sean); Raphae, in Donegal, is Rath-both (the fort of the huts); Bodoney, in Tyrone, is Both-domhnaigh (the tent of the church); Knockboha (the hill of the hut); Bodmin, in Cornwall, anc. Bodmanna, p. 27 (the abode of monks, the site of an ancient priory); Merfod, corrupt. from Meudwy-bod (the dwelling of a hermit); Bodysgallen (the abode of the thistle, ysgallen); and Bod-Ederyryn (Edryn’s dwelling). In Lancashire the word takes the form of booth, as in Barrowford booth and Oakenhead booth, etc.

BÜHIL, BÜCKEL (Ger.),

a hill; e.g. Dombühil (the dwelling on the hill); Grünbühill (green hill); Eichenbühil (oak hill); Birchenbühil (birch hill); Holzbühil (wood hill); Dinkelsbühil (wheat hill); Kleinbühil (little hill).

BÜHNE, BÖHEN (Ger.),

a scaffold, sometimes in topography a hill; e.g. Hartböhen (wood hill); Bündorf (hill village); Osterbeuna (east hill).

BUN (Gadhelic),

the foot, in topography applied to the mouth of a river; e.g. Bunduff (at the mouth of the dark river, dubh); Bunderan and Bunratty, the mouth of the R. Dowran and Ratty; Bunowen (at the mouth of the water). The town of Banff is a corrupt. of Bunaimh (the mouth of the river); Bunawe (at the opening of Loch Awe); Buness (of the cascade, cas).

BURG, BURGH (Teut.),
BOROUGH, BURY,
BORG (Scand.),
BOURG (Fr.),
BORGO (It. and Span.),

a town or city, literally an enclosed and fortified dwelling, from bergen, Teut. to cover or protect. As these fortified places were often erected on heights for security, as well as to enable their inmates to observe the approaches of an enemy, the word berg (a hill) was frequently used synonymously with burg, as in the name of Königsberg and other towns—v. BERG. Burgh and borough are the Anglican forms of the word in England and Scotland, while bury is distinctively the Saxon form; e.g. Sudbury (south town), as also Sidbury in Salop, but Sidbury in Devon takes its name from the R. Sid. Tewkesbury, from Theoc (a certain hermit); Glastonbury, anc. Glastonia (a district abounding in woad, glastum); Shaftsbury (the town on the shaft-like hill); Shrewsbury, anc. Shrobbesbyrig (the fortress among shrubs), being the Saxon rendering of the native name Pengwerne (the hill of the alder grove), which the Normans corrupted into Sloppesbury, hence Salop; Tenbury, on the R. Teme; Canterbury, i.e. Cant-wara-byrig (the town of the dwellers on the headland), Cantium or Kent; Wansborough, in Herts; Wanborough, in Surrey and Wilts; Woodensborough, in Kent; Wednesbury, Stafford; Wembury, Devon (the town of the Saxon god Woden); Aldeborough, on the R. Alde; Marlborough, anc. Merlberga, situated at the foot of a hill of white stones, which our forefathers called marl, now chalk; Richborough, anc. Ru-tupium (rock town); Aylesbury, perhaps church town, ecclesia, or from a person’s name; Badbury (the city of pledges, bad), in Dorset; the Saxon kings, it is said, kept their hostages at this place; Malmesbury, the town of Maidulf, a hermit; Maryborough, named for Queen Mary. Burg or burgh, in the names of towns, is often affixed to the name of the river on which it stands in Britain, as well as on the Continent; e.g. Lauterburg, Lutterburg, Schwartzburg, Salzburg, Saalburg, Gottenburg, Rotenburg, and Jedburgh (on the rivers Lauter, Lutter, Schwarza, Salza, Saale, Gotha, Rothbach, and Jed). Still more frequently, the prefix is the name of the founder of the town, or of a saint to whom its church was dedicated; e.g. Edinburgh (Edwin’s town); Lauenburg, after Henry the Lion; Fraserburgh, in Aberdeenshire, founded by Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth in 1570; Peterborough, from an abbey dedicated to St. Peter; Petersburgh, named by its founder, Peter the Great; Tasborough, Norfolk, on the R. Thais; Banbury, anc. Berinburig (Bera’s town); Queenborough, in the Isle of Sheppey, named by Edward III. in honour of his queen; Helensburgh, in Dumbartonshire, after the lady of Sir James Colquhoun; Pittsburg, U.S., after Mr. Pitt; Harrisburg, U.S., after the first settler in 1733; Sumburgh, in Shetland, and Svendborg, Sweden (Sweyn’s fortress); Oranienburg, in Brandenburg (the fortress of the Orange family); Bury St. Edmund’s (in memory of Edmund the Martyr); Rabensburg (the fort of Hrafn, a Dane); Marienburg (the town of the Virgin), founded by the Grand Master of the Teutonic order in 1274; Rothenburg, in Prussia, Sclav. Rostarzewo (the town of the Sclav. god Razi); Duisburg, corrupt. from Tuiscoburgum (the town of the Teut. god Tuesco); Flensburg, in Sleswick, founded by the knight of Flenes; Cherbourg, supposed to be Cæsar’s town; Augsburg (the town of the Emperor Augustus); Salisbury, anc. Searesbyrgg (the town of Sarum, a chief); Bamborough (the town of Bebba, the Queen of Ida, of Northumberland); Carrisbrook, corrupt. from Gwïhtgarabyrig (the fortress of the men of Wight); Amherstburg, in Canada, named in 1780 after Lord Amherst; Loughborough, anc. Leirburg (the town on the R. Leir, now the Soar); Hapsburg or Habichtsburg (hawk’s fortress); Schässburg, Hung. Segevar (treasure fort); Luneburg, in Hanover (the fort of the Linones, a tribe); Aalburg (Eel-town) on the Lyme-fiord. There are several towns in Germany named simply Burg (the fortress), also Burgos in Spain, and Burgo in Italy. As a derivative from this Teut. root, there is the Irish form of the word, introduced by the Anglo-Normans—buirghes, Anglicised borris and burris, as in Borris in Ossory, Burriscarra, Burrishoole (i.e. the forts erected in the territories of Ossory, Carra, and Umhal); Borrisokane (O’Keane’s fortress).

BURNE (A.S.),
BURNE (Gadhelic),

a small stream; e.g. Milburn (mill stream); Lambourne (muddy stream, lam); Radbourne and Redbourne (reedy stream); Sherbourne (clear stream, or the dividing stream); Cranbourne, Otterbourne (the stream frequented by cranes and otters); Libourne, in France (the lip or edge of the stream); Bourne, in Lancashire (on a stream); Burnham (the dwelling on a stream), in Essex; Melburne, in Yorkshire, in Doomsday Middelburn (middle stream); Auburn, formerly a village in Yorkshire, called Eleburn or Eelburn; Bannockburn (the stream of the white knoll); Sittingbourne, in Kent (the settlement on the stream); Eastbourne, contracted from its former name Easbourne (probably the stream of the water or the cascade, cas); Ticheburne (the kid’s stream, ticcen, A.S. a kid).

BUSCH, BOSCH (Ger.),
BOSC (A.S.), Low Lat. Boscus,
BUISSON (Fr.), BOIS,
BOSCO, BOSQUE (Span. and Port.),
BOD or BAD (Celtic),

a bushy place or grove; e.g. Boscabel (the beautiful grove); Bushey (a par. Co. Hertford); Buscot (the hut in the grove); Badenoch (a place overgrown with bushes), in Inverness; Breitenbusch (the broad grove); Hesel-boschen (hazel grove); Eichbusch (oak grove); Ooden-bosch (old grove), in Holland; Auberbosc (Albert’s grove), in France; Stellenbosch, in S. Africa, founded in 1670 by Van der Stelle, the governor of the Dutch colony; Biesbosch (the reedy thicket), in Holland; Aubusson (at the grove), France. Boissac, Boissay, Boissière, Boissey, etc., in France, from the same root; Bois-le-Duc (the duke’s wood); Briquebosq (birch-wood), in Normandy.

BWLCH (Welsh),

a pass or defile; e.g. Dwygyflch (i.e. the joint passes), in Wales; Bwlch-newydd (the new pass); Bwlch-y-groes (of the cross).

BYSTRI (Sclav.),

swift; e.g. Bistritza, Bistrica, Weistritz (the swift stream); Bistritz (the town on this river), called by the Germans Neusohl (new station).

BY, BIE,
BIGGEN-BO,
BŒUF (Fr.),

(Scand.), a dwelling, a town—from biga (Norse), to build. This word occurs frequently in town names in the N.E. of England and in some parts of Scotland formerly possessed by the Danes or Normans; e.g. Derby, i.e. Dearaby (deer town), formerly called North Worthige (the northern enclosure); its Celtic name was Durgwent (the white water), from its river; Whitby (white town), A.S. Streones-heal (treasure-hall, streone); Selby (holy town); Danby (Dane’s dwelling); Rugby, anc. Rochberie (the dwelling on the rock, in reference to its castle); Appleby (the town of apple-trees); Sonderby (southern town); Ormsby, Lockerby, Thursby, Grimsby, Lewersby (the dwellings of Ormv, Loki, Ulf, Grimm, Leward); Risby (beech-tree dwelling); Canisby, in Caithness, and Canoby or Cannonbie, Dumfries (the dwelling of the canon), or perhaps Canisby is Canute’s dwelling; Haconby (of Haco); Harrowby, in Doomsday, is Herigerby (the town of the legion), A.S. herige; Kirby, Moorby, Ashby (church town, moor town, ash-tree town); Ashby-de-la-Zouch was simply Ascebi or Esseby, perhaps the town of the Asci, a tribe. It received the addition to its name from the family of the Zouches, its proprietors. In France: Daubœuf, for Dalby (vale dwelling); Elbœuf (old dwelling); Quittebœuf (white dwelling); Quillebœuf (welltown); Lindebœuf (lime-tree town); Karlby-gamba and Karlby-ny (old and new Charles’ town), in Finland; Criquebœuf (crooked town).