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

by Christina Blackie

C

CAE, KAE (Cym.-Cel.),

an enclosure; e.g. Ca-wood (wood-enclosure); Cayton (wood town or hill). This root is frequently used in Welsh names.

CAELC, or CEALC (A.S.),

chalk or lime—cognate with the Lat. calx, Cel. cailc, sialc; e.g. Challock, Chaldon, Chalfield (chalk place, hill, and field); Chalgrove (the chalk entrenchment, grab); the Chiltern Hills (the hills in the chalky district, ern); Chockier, corrupt. from Calchariæ (the lime kilns), in Belgium; Kelso, anc. Calchou (the chalk heugh or height), so called from a calcareous cliff at the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot, now broken down.

CAER, CADAER (Welsh),
CATHAIR, CAHER (Gadhelic),
KAER, KER (Breton),

an enclosed fortification, a castle, a town, and in Ireland a circular stone fort; e.g. Caer-leon, anc. Isca-legionem (the fort of the legion), on the R. Usk;[3] Caerwent, in Monmouth, anc. Venta-silurum (the fortress in the province of Gwent); Caerwys (of the assizes, gwys, a summons); Caermarthen, anc. Maridunum (the fort on the sea-shore); Caernarvon, Welsh Caer-yn-ar-Fon (the fortress opposite to Mona); Cardigan (the fortress of Caredig, a chieftain)—Cardigan is called by the Welsh Aberteifi (the mouth of the R. Teify); Cardiff, on the R. Taff; Carriden, anc. Caer-aiden or eden (the fort on the wing), in Linlithgow; Caerphilly (the fort of the trench, vallum), corrupt. into philly; Cader-Idris (the seat of Idris, an astronomer); Caer-gyffin (the border fortress); Grongar, corrupt. from Caer-gron (the circular fortress); Caer-hen or hun, corrupt. from Caer-Rhun, named from a Welsh prince; Carlisle, anc. Caergwawl (the fort at the trench); its Latin name was Luguvallum (the trench of the legion). It was destroyed by the Danes in 675, and rebuilt by William II. In Mid-Lothian, Cramond, i.e. Caer-Almond, on the R. Almond; Cathcart, on the R. Cart, Renfrew; Crail, anc. Carraile (the fort on the corner, aile), in the S.E. angle of Fife; Caerlaverock (the fort of Lewarch Ogg), founded in the sixth century; Sanquhar, i.e. Sean-cathair (old fort); Carmunnock or Carmannoc (the fort of the monks); Kirkintilloch, corrupt. from Caer-pen-tulach (the fort at the head of the hill); Cardross (the promontory fort); Kier, in Scotland, for Caer or Cathair; Carew (the fortresses), a castle in Wales; Carhaix, in Brittany, i.e. Ker-Aes (the fortress on the R. Aes—now the Hières). In Ireland: Caher (the fortress); Cahereen (little fortress); Cahergal (white fort); Cahersiveen, i.e. Cathair-saidbhin (Sabina’s fort); Carlingford, Irish Caer-linn, fiord being added by the Danes; its full name is, therefore, the ford of Caer-linn. It was also called Suamh-ech (the swimming ford of the horses); Derry-na-Caheragh (the oak grove of the fort); Caer-gwrle (the fortress of the great legion), i.e. Caer-gawr-lleon, with reference to the twentieth Roman legion stationed at Chester, or Caer-gwr-le (the boundary-place in Flintshire).

CALA (Span.),

a creek or bay—probably derived from Scala (It.), a seaport, Cel. cala (a harbour), and cognate with the Teut. kille; e.g. Callao, in S. America; Cale, the ancient name of Oporto, and probably Calais; Scala (a seaport), in Italy; Scala-nova (new port), in Turkey; Kiel, in Sleswick, so called from its fine bay.

CALO (A.S.),
KAHL (Ger.), KAEL (Dut.),

bald or bare—synonymous with the Lat. calvus and the Fr. chauve; e.g. Caumont and Chaumont (bald hill), in France; Kahlenberg, anc. Mons Calvus (bald hill), belonging to a branch of the Alps called Kahlen Gebirge.

CAM (Gadhelic),
CAM (Cym.-Cel.),
CAMBUS,

a creek, crooked; e.g. Rivers Cam, Camon, Camil, Cambad, Camlin, Cambeck (crooked stream); Kembach, a parish in Fife, so called from the R. Kem or Kame; Cambusmore (the great creek in Sutherland); Cambuscarrig, in Ross, near which a Danish prince (Careg) was buried; Cambuskenneth (the creek of Kenneth, one of the kings of Scotland); Camelon (on the bend of the water), near Falkirk; Cambuslang (the church or enclosure, lann, on the bending water), in Lanark; Cambus, in Clackmannan; Cambusnethan (on the bend of the R. Nethan); Campsie, anc. Kamsi (the curved water); but Camus, a town in Forfarshire, is not from this root, but in memory of a Danish general who was slain in battle near the place; Camlyn (the crooked pool), in Anglesea; Cambray or Cambrai, in France, anc. Camaracum (on a bend of the Scheldt); Chambery, in Savoy, anc. Camberiacum, with the same meaning; Morecambe Bay (the bend of the sea).

CAMPUS (Lat.),
CAMPO (It., Span., and Port.),
CHAMP (Fr.),
KAMPF (Ger.),

a field or plain; e.g. Campania, Campagna, Champagne (the plain or level land); Féchamp, Lat. Campus-fiscii (the field of tribute); Chamouni, Lat. Campus-munitus (the fortified field); Kempen (at the field); Kempten, Lat. Campodunum (the field of the fortress); Campvere (the ferry leading to Campen), in Holland; Campo-bello, Campo-chiaro, Campo-hermoso (beautiful or fair field); Campo-felici (happy or fortunate field); Campo-frio (cold field); Campo-freddo (cold field); Campo-largo (broad field); Campillo (little field); the Campos (vast plains), in Brazil; Capua, supposed to be synonymous with Campus.

CANNA (Lat. and Grk.),

a reed; e.g. Cannæ, in Italy; Cannes, in the south of France; Canneto and Canosa (the reedy place), in Italy.

CAOL (Gadhelic),
CAEL,

a sound or strait; e.g. Caol-Isla, Caol-Muileach (the Straits of Isla and Mull); the Kyles or Straits of Bute; Eddarachylis (between the straits), in Sutherlandshire. As an adjective, this word means narrow; e.g. Glenkeel (narrow glen); Darykeel (narrow oak grove).

CAPEL (Cel.),
KAPELLE (Ger.),

a chapel, derived from the Low Lat. capella; e.g. How-capel (the chapel in the hollow), in Hereford; Capel-Ddewi (St. David’s chapel); Capel St. Mary and Maria-Kappel (St. Mary’s chapel); Capel-Garmon (St. Germano’s chapel); Chapelle-au-bois (the chapel in the wood); Capelle-op-den-Yssel (the chapel on the R. Yessel), in Holland; Kreuzcappel (the chapel with the cross).

CAPER (Lat.), CHÈVRE (Fr.),
CAPRA, CABRA (Span., Port., and It.),
GABHAR, and GOBHAR (Gadhelic),
GAFR, or GAVAR (Cym.-Cel.),

a goat; e.g. Capri, Caprera, Cabrera (goat island); Chèvreuse, anc. Capriosa (the place of goats); Chevry, Chevrière, Chevreville, with the same meaning, in France; Gateshead, in Co. Durham, Lat. Capræ-caput, perhaps the Latin rendering of the Saxon word (the head of the gat or passage)—the Pons Ælius of the Romans; or, according to another meaning, from the custom of erecting the head of some animal on a post as a tribal emblem. In Ireland, Glengower (the glen of the goats), and Glengower, in Scotland; Ballynagore (goat’s town), in Ireland; Gowrie and Gower, in several counties of Scotland; Ardgower (goat’s height); Carnan-gour (the goat’s crag).

CAR (Cel.),

crooked or bending; e.g. the Rivers Carron, in several parts of Scotland; Charente and Charenton, in France; also the Cher, anc. Carus (the winding river).

CARN, CAIRN (Gadhelic),
CARN (Welsh),
CARNEDD, a heap of stones, such as was erected by the ancient Britons over the graves of their great men; e.g. Carn-Ingli (the cairn of the English); Carn-Twrne (the cairn of the turnings). It was named from a stupendous monument which stood on three pillars, within a circuit of upright stones.

a heap of stones thrown together in a conical form, also a rocky mount; e.g. Carnac (abounding in cairns), in Brittany; Carnmore (great cairn); Carnock (the hill of the cairn); Carntoul, Gael. Carn-t-sabhal (the cairn of the barn); Carntaggart (of the priest); Carnrigh (of the king); Cairndow, Cairnglass, Cairngorm (the black, the gray, the blue mountains); Cairnan and Cairnie (little cairn); Carnwath (the cairn at the ford); Carnoustie (the cairn of heroes); Carnbee (the birch cairn), in Scotland. In Ireland: Carntochar (the hill of the causeway); Carn-Tierno (Tigernach’s cairn); Carnbane (white cairn); Carnsore Point, in Irish being simply the carn or monumental heap, ore (a promontory) having been added by the Danes; Carnteel, Irish Carn-t-Siadhal (Shiel’s monument). In Wales: Carn-Dafydd (David’s cairn); Carn-Llewelyn (Llewelyn’s cairn); Carnfach (little cairn), in Monmouth; Fettercairn, perhaps the deer’s cairn, Gael. feidh (deers); Chirnside (the side or site of the cairn), on one of the Lammermuir Hills; Carnoch (abounding in cairns), a parish in Fife; Boharm, in Banffshire, anc. Bocharin (the bow about the cairn). The countries of Carniola and Carinthia probably derived their names from this Celtic root.

CARRAIG, CARRICK (Gadhelic),
CRAG, or CARREG (Welsh),
CARRAG (Cornish),

a rock. The words are usually applied to large natural rocks, more or less elevated. Carrick and Carrig are the names of numerous districts in Ireland, as well as Carrick in Ayrshire; Carrigafoyle (the rock of the hole, phoill), in the Shannon; Carrickaness (of the waterfall); Ballynacarrick (the town of the rocks); Carrigallen, Irish Carraig-aluinn (the beautiful rock); Carrickanoran (the rock of the spring, uaran); Carrickfergus (Fergus’s rock), where one Fergus was drowned; Carrick-on-Suir (on the R. Suir); Carriga-howly, Irish Carraig-an-chobhlaigh (the rock of the fleet); Carrickduff (black rock); Carrigeen and Cargan (little rock); Carragh (rocky ground); but Carrick-on-Shannon is not derived from this root—its ancient name was Caradh-droma-ruise (the weir of the marsh ridge); Cerrig-y-Druidion (the rock of the Druids), in Wales.

CARSE,

a term applied in Scotland to low grounds on the banks of rivers; e.g. the Carse of Gowrie, Falkirk, Stirling, etc.

CASA (It. and bas Lat.),

a house; e.g. Casa-Nova and Casa-Vecchia (new and old house), in Corsica; Casal, Les Casals, Chaise, Les Chaises (the house and the houses), in France; Chassepiare (corrupt. from Casa-petrea (stone house), in Belgium.

CASTEL, CHATEAU,
CASTELLO, CASTILLO,
CASTELL (Cym.-Cel.),

words in the Romance languages derived from the Lat. castellum (a castle). Caiseal, in the Irish language, either cognate with the Lat. word or derived from it, has the same meaning, and is commonly met with in that country under the form of Cashel; e.g. Cashel, in Tipperary; Cashelfean and Cashelnavean (the fort of the Fenians); Caislean-n’h-Oghmaighe, now Omagh (the castle of the beautiful field). It is often changed into the English castle, as in Ballycastle, in Mayo (the town of the fort); but Ballycastle, in Antrim, was named from a modern castle, not from a caiseal or fort; Castle-Dargan (of Lough Dargan); Castlebar, Irish Caislean-an-Bharraigh (the fort of the Barrys); Castle-Dillon, Castle-Dermot, and Castle-Kieran were renamed from castles erected near the hermitages of the monks whose names they bear. Castel, Lat. Castellum (the capital of the Electorate of Hesse-Cassel); Castel Rodrigo (Roderick’s castle), in Portugal; Castel-Lamare (by the sea-shore); Castel-bianco (white castle); Castel del piano (of the plain); Castiglione (little castle), in Italy. In France: Castelnau (new castle); Castelnaudary, anc. Castrum-novum-Arianiorum (the new castle of the Arians, i.e. the Goths); Chateaubriant, i.e. Chateau-du-Bryn (the king’s castle); Chateau-Chinon (the castle decorated with dogs’ heads); Chateau-Gontier (Gontier’s castle); Chateaulin (the castle on the pool); Chateau-vilain (ugly castle); Chateau-roux, anc. Castrum-Rodolphi (Rodolph’s castle); Chatelandrew (the castle of Andrew of Brittany); Chateaumeillant, anc. Castrum-Mediolanum (the castle in the middle of the plain or land, lann); Neufchatel (new castle); Newcastle-upon-Tyne, named from a castle built by Robert, Duke of Normandy, on the site of Monkchester; Newcastle-under-Line, i.e. under the lyme or boundary of the palatinate of Chester, having its origin in a fortress erected by Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, instead of the old fort of Chesterton; Castleton, in Man, is the translation of Ballycashel (castle dwelling), founded by one of the kings of the island; Bewcastle (the castle of Buith, lord of Gilsland); Old and New Castile, in Spain, so named from the numerous fortresses erected by Alphonso I. as defences against the Moors. Cassel, in Prussia, and various places with this prefix in England and Scotland, owe the names to ancient castles around which the towns or villages arose, as Castletown of Braemar, Castle-Douglas, Castle-Rising, etc.; Castlecary, in Stirlingshire, supposed to be the Coria Damnorum of Ptolemy, and the Caer-cere of Nennius; Barnard Castle, built by Barnard, the grandfather of Baliol; Castell-Llechryd (the castle at the stone ford), on the banks of the R. Wye, in Wales; Cestyll-Cynfar (castles in the air).

CASTER, CHESTER,
CEASTER (A.S.),

a fortress, city, town, from the Lat. castrum (a fortified place), and castra (a camp); e.g. Caistor, Castor, Chester (the site of a Roman fort or camp). The Welsh still called the city of Chester Caerleon, which means the city called Legio, often used as a proper name for a city where a Roman legion was stationed; Doncaster, Lancaster, Brancaster, Illchester, Leicester, Colchester (i.e. the camps on the Rivers Don, Lune, Bran, Ivel, Legre or Leir, Colne); Alcester, on the Alne; Chichester (the fortress of Cissa, the Saxon prince of the province); Cirencester, anc. Corinium-ceaster (the camp on the R. Churn); Exeter, Cel. Caer-Isc (the fortress on the river or water, wysk); Towcester, on the R. Towey; Gloucester, Cel. Caer-glow (the bright fortress); Godmanchester (the fort of the priest), where Gothrun, the Dane, in the reign of Alfred, embraced Christianity; Chesterfield and Chester-le-Street (the camp in the field and the camp on the Roman road, stratum); Winchester, Cel. Caer-gwent (the camp on the fair plain), p. 38; Dorchester (the camp of the Durotriges (dwellers by the water); Worcester, Hwicwara-ceaster (the camp of the Huiccii); Silchester, Cel. Caer-Segont (the fort of the Segontii); Manchester, probably the camp at Mancenion (the place of tents), its ancient name; Rochester, Cel. Durobrivae (the ford of the water), A.S. Hrofceaster, probably from a proper name; Bicester (the fort of Biren, a bishop); Alphen, in Holland, anc. Albanium-castra (the camp of Albanius); Aubagne, in Provence, anc. Castrum-de-Alpibus (the fortress of the Alps); Champtoceaux, Lat. Castrum-celsum (lofty fortress); St. Chamond, Lat. Castrum-Anemundi (the fortress of Ennemond); Chalus, Lat. Castrum-Lucius (the fortress by Lucius Capriolus, in the reign of Augustus); Passau, in Bavaria, Lat. Batavia-Castra (the Batavians’ camp), corrupted first to Patavium and then to Passau; La Chartre, Chartre, and Chartres (the place of the camps), in France; Chartre-sur-Loire, Lat. Carcer-Castellum (the castle prison or stronghold); Castril, Castrillo (little fortress); Castro-Jeriz (Cæsar’s camp); Ojacastro (the camp on the R. Oja), in Spain.

CAVAN, CABHAN (Irish),
CAVA, LA (It.),
CUEVA (Span.), a cave,
COFA (A.S.), a cove,

a hollow place, cognate with the Lat. cavea or cavus; e.g. Cavan (the hollow), the cap. of Co. Cavan, and many other places from this root in Ireland. Cavan, however, in some parts of Ireland, signifies a round hill, as in Cavanacaw (the round hill of the chaff, catha); Cavanagh (the hilly place); Cavanalick (the hill of the flagstone); Covehithe, in Suffolk (the harbour of the recess); Runcorn, in Cheshire, i.e. Rum-cofan (the wide cove or inlet); Cowes (the coves), in the Isle of Wight; La Cava, in Naples; Cuevas-de-Vera (the caves of Vera); Cuevas-del-Valle (of the valley), in Spain.

CEALD (A.S.),
KALT (Ger.),
KOUD (Dut.),

cold; e.g. Caldicott, Calthorpe, Calthwaite (cold dwelling); Koudhuizon, Koudaim, with the same meaning; Caldbeck, Kalbach, Kallenbach (cold stream); Kaltenherberg (cold shelter); Calvorde (cold ford); Kaltenkirchen (cold church); Colwell (cold well).

CEANN (Gadhelic),

a head, a point or promontory—in topography kin or ken; e.g. Kinnaird’s Head (the point of the high headland); Kintyre or Cantire (the head of the land, tir); Kenmore (the great point), at the head of Loch Tay; Kinloch (the head of the lake); Kincraigie (of the little rock); Kinkell (the head church, cill); Kendrochet (bridge end); Kinaldie and Kinalty (the head of the dark stream, allt-dubh); Kingussie (the head of the fir-wood, guith-saith); Kinnaird (the high headland), the name of a parish in Fife and a village in Stirling. Kinross may mean the point (ros) at the head of Loch Leven, with reference to the town or with reference to the county, which in early times formed part of the large district called the Kingdom of Fife, anciently called Ross; and in this sense it may mean either the head of the promontory or of the wood, both of which are in Celtic ros. The ancient name of Fife, Ross, was changed into Fife in honour of Duff, Earl of Fife, to whom it was granted by Kenneth II., and in 1426 Kinross was separated from it, or, according to Nennius, from Feb, the son of Cruidne, ancestor of the Picts. Kintore (the head of the hill, tor); Kinneil, i.e. Ceann-fhail (the head of the wall), i.e. of Agricola; Kinell, Kinellar (the head of the knoll); King-Edward, corrupt. from Kinedur (the head of the water, dur); Kinghorn, from Ceann-cearn (corner headland)—Wester Kinghorn is now Burntisland; Kingarth, in Bute, i.e. Ceann-garbh (the rough or stormy headland); Kinnoul (the head of the rock, ail); Kintail (the head of the flood, tuil), i.e. of the two salt-water lakes in Ross-shire; Boleskine (the summit of the furious cascade, boil cas), i.e. of Foyers, in Inverness-shire; Kinmundy, in Aberdeenshire, corrupt. from Kinmunny (the head of the moss, moine); Kinglassie, in Fife, was named after St. Glass or Glasianus); Kenoway, Gael. ceann-nan-uamh (the head of the den); Kent, Lat. Cantium (the country of the Cantii, or dwellers at the headland). In Ireland: Kenmare in Kerry, Kinvarra in Galway, and Kinsale in Cork, mean the head of the sea, i.e. ceann-mara and ceann-saile (salt water), the highest point reached by the tide; Kincon (the dog’s headland); Kinturk (of the boar); Slyne Head, in Ireland, is in Irish Ceann-leime (the head of the leap), and Loop Head is Leim-Chonchuillinn (Cuchullin’s leap); Cintra, in Portugal, may mean the head of the strand, traigh.

CEFN (Cym.-Cel.),

a ridge, cognate with the Grk. κεφαλη, a head; e.g. the Cevennes, the Cheviots; Cefn-Llys (palace ridge); Cefn-bryn (hill ridge); Cefn-coed (wood ridge); Cefn-coch (red ridge); Cefn-y-Fan (the hill ridge); Cefn-Rhestyn (the row of ridges); Cefn-cyn-warchan (the watch-tower ridge); Cemmaes (the ridge of the plain), in Wales; Cefalu (on the headland), in Sicily; Chevin Hill, near Derby; Chevin (a high cliff), in Yorkshire; Cephalonia (the island of headlands), also called Samos (lofty); Cynocephale (the dog’s headland), in Thessaly.

CEOL (A.S.),
KIELLE (Teut.),

a ship; e.g. Keal and Keelby, in Lincoln (ship station); Ceolescumb, Ceolëswyrth, Ceolseig, and perhaps Kiel, in Denmark; Chelsea, i.e. Ceolesig, on the Thames.

CEORL (A.S.),

a husbandman; e.g. Charlton (the husbandman’s dwelling); Charlinch (the husbandman’s island), formerly insulated.

CEOSEL (A.S.),

sand, gravel; e.g. Chesil (the sand-hill), in Dorset; Chiselhurst (the thicket at the sand-bank); Chiseldon (sand-hill); Chiselborough (the fort at the sand-bank); Winchelsea, corrupt. from Gwent-ceoseley (the sand-bank on the fair plain, gwent), or, according to another etymology, named after Wincheling, the son of Cissa, the first king of the South Saxons; Chiswick (sandy bay), on the Thames.

CERRIG (Welsh),

a heap of stones; e.g. Cerrig-y-Druidion (the Druids’ stones); Cerrig-y-Pryfaed (the crag of the teachers), probably the Druids, in Wales.

CHEP, CHEAP, CHIPPING (Teut.),
KIOPING, KIOBING,

a place of merchandise, from A.S. ceapan, Ger. kaufen (to buy); e.g. Chepstow, Chippenham, Cheapside (the market-place or town); Chipping-Norton and Chipping-Sodbury (the north and south market-town); Chippinghurst (the market at the wood or thicket); Copenhagen, Dan. Kioben-havn (the haven for merchandise); Lidkioping (the market-place on the R. Lid); Linkioping, anc. Longakopungar (long market-town), in Sweden; Arroeskiœbing (the market-place in the island of Arroe); Nykoping, in Funen, and Nykjobing, in Falster, Denmark (new market-place). The Copeland Islands on the Irish coast (the islands of merchandise), probably used as a storehouse by the Danish invaders; Copmansthorpe (the village of traders), in Yorkshire; Nordköping (north market), in Sweden; Kaufbeuren (market-place), in Bavaria; Sydenham, in Kent, formerly Cypenham (market-place).

CHLUM (Sclav.),

a hill, cognate with the Lat. culmen, transposed by the Germans into kulm and sometimes into golm; e.g. Kulm, in W. Prussia (a town on a hill); Kulm, on the R. Saale; Chlumek, Chlumetz, Golmitz, Golmüz (the little hill).

CILL (Gadhelic),
CELL (Cym.-Cel.), from
CELLA (Lat.), and in the Provence languages,
CELLA, CELLULE,

a cell, a burying-ground, a church; in Celtic topography, kil or kel; e.g. Kilbride (the cell or church of St. Bridget), frequent in Ireland and Scotland; Kildonan (of St. Donan); Kilkerran (of St. Kieran); Kilpeter (of St. Peter); Kilcattan (of St. Chattan); Kilmichael, Kilmarnock, Kilmarten, Kelpatrick, Kilbrandon (the churches dedicated to St. Michael, St. Marnock, St. Martin, St. Patrick, St. Brandon); Kilmaurs, Kilmorick, Kilmurry (St. Mary’s church); I Columkil or Iona (the island of Columba’s church); Kilwinning (St. Vimen’s church); Kilkenny (of St. Canice); Kilbeggan, in Ireland, and Kilbucho, in Peeblesshire (the church of St. Bega); Kil-Fillan (of St. Fillan); Killaloe, anc. Cill-Dalua (the church of St. Dalua); Killarney, Irish Cill-airneadh (the church of the sloes)—the ancient name of the lake was Lough Leane, from a famous artificer who lived on its shores; Killin, i.e. Cill-Fhinn (the burying-ground of Finn, which is still pointed out); Kilmany (the church on the mossy ground, moine); Kilmelfort, Cel. Cill-na-maol-phort (the church on the bald haven); Kilmore generally means the great church, but Kilmore, Co. Cork, is from Coillmhor (great wood), and in many places in Ireland and Scotland it is difficult to determine whether the root of the names is cill or coill; Kildare, from Cill-dara (the cell of the oak blessed by St. Bridget); Kilmun, in Argyleshire, is named from St. Munna, one of St. Columba’s companions; Kilrush, Co. Clare (the church of the promontory or of the wood); Kells (the cells) is the name of several places in Ireland, and of a parish in Dumfries; but Kells, in Meath and Kilkenny, is a contraction of the ancient name Ceann-lios (the head, lis, or fort); Closeburn, in Dumfries, is a corrupt. of Cella-Osburni (the cell of St. Osburn); Bischofzell and Appenzell (the church of the bishop and of the abbot); Maria-Zell (of St. Mary); Kupferzell, Jaxt-zell, Zella-am-Hallbach, Zell-am-Harmarsbach (the churches on the rivers Kupfer, Jaxt, Hallbach, and Harmarsbach); Zell-am-Moss (the church on the moor); Zell-am-See (on the lake); Zella St. Blasii (of St. Blaise); Sabloncieux, in France, anc. Sabloncellis (the cells on the sandy place); but in France La Selle and Les Selles are often used instead of cella or cellules, as in Selle-St.-Cloud for Cella-Sanct.-Clotoaldi (the church dedicated to this saint); Selle-sur-Nahon, anc. Cellula (little church); Kilconquhar, in Fife (the church of St. Conchobar or Connor); Kilbernie, in Ayrshire (the church of Berinus, a bishop); Kilspindie (of St. Pensadius); Kilblane and Kilcolmkill, in Kintyre (of St. Blane and St. Columba); Kilrenny (of St. Irenaeus); Kilchrenan, in Argyleshire (the burying-place of St. Chrenan, the tutelary saint of the parish).

CITTÀ, CIVITA (It.),
CIUDAD, CIDADE (Sp. and Port.),
CIOTAT (Fr.),

a city or borough, derived from the Lat. civitas; e.g. Cittadella and Civitella (little city); Città di Castello (castellated city); Città-Vecchia (old city), in Malta; Civita Vecchia (old city), in Central Italy, formerly named Centum-cellæ (the hundred apartments), from a palace of the Emperor Trajan; Civita-de-Penné (the city of the summit), in Naples; Cividad-della-Trinidad (the city of the Holy Trinity); Ciudad-Rodrigo (Roderick’s city); Ciudad-Reäl (royal city); Ciudad-de-Gracias (the city of grace), in Spain; Ciudadella (little city), in Minorca.

CLACH, CLOCH, CLOUGH (Gadhelic),

a stone; e.g. Clach-breac (the speckled stone); Clach-an-Oban (the stone of the little bay); Clach-na-darrach (the stone of the oak grove); Clachach (a stony place). The word clachan, in Scotland, was originally applied to a circle of stones where the Pagan rites of worship were wont to be celebrated; and, after the introduction of Christianity, houses and churches were erected near these spots, and thus clachan came to mean a hamlet; and, at the present day, the expression used in asking a person if he is going to church is—“Am bheil-thu’dol do’n clachan?” (i.e. “Are you going to the stones?”) There is the Clachan of Aberfoyle in Perthshire; and in Blair-Athole there is a large stone called Clach n’iobairt (the stone of sacrifice). In Skye there is Clach-na-h-Annat (the stone of Annat, the goddess of victory); and those remarkable Druidical remains, called rocking-stones, are termed in Gaelic Clach-bhraeth (the stone of knowledge), having been apparently used for divination. There are others called Clach-na-greine (the stone of the sun), and Clach-an-t-sagairt (of the priest). The village of Clackmannan was originally Clachan-Mannan, i.e. the stone circle or hamlet of the district anciently called Mannan. In Ireland this root-word commonly takes the form of clogh or clough, as in Cloghbally, Cloghvally (stony dwelling); Clogher (the stony land); Clomony (the stony shrubbery); Clorusk (the stony marsh); Cloichin, Cloghan, Clogheen (land full of little stones); but the word clochan is also applied to stepping-stones across a river, as in Clochan-na-bh Fomharaigh (the stepping-stones of the Fomarians, i.e. the Giant’s Causeway); Cloghereen (the little stony place); Ballycloch and Ballenaclogh (the town of the stones); Auchnacloy (the field of the stone); Clochfin (the white stone); Clonakilty, corrupt. from Clough-na-Kiltey (the stone house of the O’Keelys).

CLAR, CLARAGH (Irish),

a board, a plain, a flat piece of land; Clare is the name of several places in different counties of Ireland, sometimes softened to Clara. County Clare is said to have derived its name from a plank placed across the R. Fergus, at the village of Clare. Ballyclare, Ballinclare (the town of the plain); Clarbane (white plain); Clarderry (level oak grove); Clarchoill (level wood); Clareen (little plain).

CLAWDD (Cym.-Cel.),

a dyke or embankment; e.g. Clawdd-Offa (Offa’s Dyke).

CLEFF (A.S.), cleof and clyf,
KLIPPE (Ger. and Scand.),

a steep bank or rock, cognate with the Lat. clivus (a slope); Clive, Cleave, Clee (the cliff); Clifton (the town on the cliff); Clifdon (cliff hill); Clifford (the ford near the cliff); Hatcliffe and Hockcliffe (high cliff); Cleveland (rocky land), in Yorkshire; Cleves (the town on the slope), Rhenish Prussia; Radcliffe (red cliff); Silberklippen (at the silver cliff); Horncliff (corner cliff); Undercliff (between the cliff and the sea), in Isle of Wight; Clitheroe (the cliff near the water), in Lancashire; Lillies-leaf, in Roxburghshire, a corrupt. of Lille’s-cliva (the cliff of Lilly or Lille).

CLERE (Anglo-Norman),

a royal or episcopal residence, sometimes a manor; e.g. King’s-clere, Co. Hants, so called because the Saxon kings had a palace there; Burg-clere (where the bishops of Winchester resided), High-clere.

CLUAN, CLOON (Gadhelic),

a fertile piece of land, surrounded by a bog on one side and water on the other, hence a meadow; e.g. Clunie, Cluny, Clunes, Clones (the meadow pastures). These fertile pastures, as well as small islands, were the favourite spots chosen by the monks in Ireland and Scotland as places of retirement, and became eventually the sites of monasteries and abbeys, although at first the names of these meadows, in many instances, had no connection with a religious institution—thus Clones, Co. Monaghan, was Cluain-Eois (the meadow of Eos, probably a Pagan chief), before it became a Christian settlement; Clonard, in Meath, where the celebrated St. Finian had his school, in the sixth century, was Cluain-Eraird (Erard’s meadow). In some instances Clonard may mean the high meadow; Clonmel (the meadow of honey); Clonfert (of the grave); Clontarf and Clontarbh (the bull’s pasture); Clonbeg and Cloneen (little meadow); Clonkeen (beautiful meadow); Cluainte and Cloonty (the meadows); Cloonta-killen (the meadows of the wood)—v. Joyce’s Irish Names of Places.

CNOC (Gadhelic),
KNWC (Cym.-Cel.),

a knoll, hill, or mound; e.g. Knock, a hill in Banff; Knockbrack (the spotted knoll); Knockbane, Knockdoo, Knockglass (the white, black, and gray hill); Carnock (cairn hill); Knockea, Irish Cnoc-Aedha (Hugh’s hill); Knocklayd, Co. Antrim, i.e. Cnoc-leithid (broad hill); Knockan, Knockeen (little hill); Knockmoyle (bald hill); Knocknagaul (the hill of the strangers); Knockrath (of the fort); Knockshanbally (of the old town); Knocktaggart (of the priest); Knockatober (of the well); Knockalough (of the lake); Knockanure (of the yew); Knockaderry (of the oak-wood); Knockane (little hill), Co. Kerry; Knockandow (little black hill), Elgin; Knockreagh, Knockroe, Knockgorm (the gray, red, blue hill); Knockacullion (the hill of the holly); Knockranny (ferny hill); Knockagh (the hilly place); Knockfirinne (the hill of truth), a noted fairy hill, Co. Limerick, which serves as a weather-glass to the people of the neighbouring plains; Ballynock (the town of the hill); Baldernock (the dwelling at the Druid’s hill), Co. Stirling; Knwc-y Dinas (the hill of the fortress), in Cardigan.

COCH (Cym.-Cel.),

red

COED (Cym.-Cel.),
COID, this word was variously written Coit, Coat, or Cuitgoed. In Cornwall it is found in Penquite (the head of the wood); Pencoed, with the same meaning, in Wales; Argoed (upon the wood), in Wales; Goedmore (great wood), in Wales; Coed-llai (short wood); Glascoed (green wood), in Wales; Caldecot, corrupt. from Cil-y-coed (the woody retreat), in Wales; Coedglasen, corrupt. from Coed-gleision (green trees).]

a wood; e.g. Coed-Arthur (Arthur’s wood); Coedcymmer (the wood of the confluence); Catmoss and Chatmoss (the wood moss); Coitmore (great wood); Selwood, anc. Coitmaur (great wood); Catlow (wood hill); Cotswold (wood hill), the Saxon wold having been added to the Cel. coed. The forms of this word in Brittany are Koat or Koad—hence Coetbo, Coetmen, Coetmieux, etc.; Llwyd-goed (gray wood), in Wales.

COGN (Cel.),

the point of a hill between two valleys, or a tongue of land enclosed between two watercourses; e.g. Cognat, Cougny, Cognac, Le Coigné, Coigneur, Coigny, etc., in various parts of France—v. Cocheris’s Noms de Lieu, Paris.

COILL (Gadhelic),

a wood—in topography it takes the forms of kel, kil, kelly, killy, and kyle; e.g. Kellymore, and sometimes Kilmore (the great wood); Kelburn, Kelvin, Kellyburn, and Keltie (the woody stream); Callander, Coille-an-dar (the oak-wood); Cuilty, Quilty, Kilty (the woods); Kilton (the town in the wood), in Scotland. In Ireland: Kilbowie (yellow wood); Kildarroch (the oak-wood); Kilcraig (the wood of the rock); Kildinny (of the fire)—v. TEINE; Killiegowan (of the smith); Kilgour (of the goats); Eden-keille (the face of the wood); Kylebrach (the spotted wood); Kylenasagart (the priest’s wood); Kailzie (the woody), a parish in Peebles; but Kyle, in Ayrshire, is not from this root, but was named after a mythic Cymric king; Loughill, in Co. Limerick, corrupt. from Leamhchoill (the elm-wood); Barnacullia (the top of the wood), near Dublin; Culleen and Coiltean (little wood); Kildare, anc. Coill-an-chlair (the wood of the plain).

COIRE, or CUIRE (Gadhelic),

a ravine, a hollow, a whirlpool; e.g. Corrie-dow (the dark ravine); Corrie-garth (the field at the ravine); Corrimony (the hill, monadh, at the ravine); Corrielea (the gray ravine); Corrie (the hollow), in Dumfriesshire; Corriebeg (the little hollow); Corryvrechan whirlpool (Brecan’s cauldron); Corgarf (the rough hollow, garbh); Corralin (the whirlpool of the cataract)—v. LIN; Corriebuie (yellow ravine); Corryuriskin (of the wild spirit); but Cor, in Ireland, generally signifies a round hill, as in Corbeagh (birch hill); Corglass (green hill); Corkeeran (rowan-tree hill); Corog and Correen (little hill); while Cora, or Coradh, signifies a weir across a river, as in Kincora (the head of the weir); Kirriemuir, in Forfar, corrupt. from Corriemor (the great hollow); Loch Venachoir, in Perthshire, is the fair hollow or valley—v. FIN, p. 80.

COL, COLN (Lat. colonia),

a colony; e.g. Lincoln, anc. Lindum-colonia (the colony at Lindum, the hill fort on the pool, linne); Colne (the colony), in Lancashire; Cologne, Lat. Colonia-Agrippina (the colony), Ger. Köln. The city was founded by the Ubii 37 B.C., and was at first called Ubiorum-oppidum, but a colony being planted there in 50 A.D. by Agrippina, the wife of the Emperor Claudius, it received her name.

COMAR, CUMAR (Gadhelic),
CYMMER, KEMBER (Cym.-Cel.),

a confluence, often found as Cumber or Comber; e.g. Comber, Co. Down; Cefn-coed-y-cymmer (the wood ridge of the confluence), where two branches of the R. Taff meet; Cumbernauld, in Dumbarton, Gael. Comar-n-uilt (the meeting of streams, alt). Cumnock, in Ayrshire, may have the same meaning, from Cumar and oich (water), as the streams Lugar and Glasnock meet near the village; Comrie, in Perthshire, at the confluence of the streams Earn, Ruchill, and Lednock; Kemper and Quimper (the confluence), and Quimper-lé, or Kember-leach (the place at the confluence), in Brittany. The words Condate and Condé, in French topography, seem to be cognate with this Celtic root, as in Condé, in Normandy (at the meeting of two streams); Condé, in Belgium (at the confluence of the Scheldt and Hawe); Condate-Rhedorum (the confluence of the Rhedones, a Celtic tribe), now Rennes, in Brittany; Coucy, anc. Condiceacum (at the confluence of the Lette and Oise); Congleton, Co. Chester, was formerly Condate.

COMBE (A.S.),
CWM, KOMB (Cym.-Cel.),
CUM (Gadhelic),

a hollow valley between hills, a dingle; e.g. Colcombe (the valley of the R. Coly); Cwmneath (of the Neath); Compton (the town in the hollow); Gatcombe (the passage through the valley, gat); Combs, the hollows in the Mendip hills; Wycombe (the valley of the Wye); Winchcombe (the corner valley); Wivelscombe and Addiscombe, probably connected with a personal name; Ilfracombe (Elfric’s dingle); Cwmrydol and Cwmdyli, in Wales (the hollow of the Rivers Rydol and Dyli); Cwm-eigian (the productive ridge); Cwmgilla (the hazel-wood valley); Cwm-Toyddwr (the valley of two waters), near the conf. of the Rivers Wye and Elain in Wales; Cwm-gloyn (the valley of the brook Gloyn); Cwmdu (dark valley); Cwm-Barre (the valley of the R. Barre), in Wales; Combe St. Nicholas, in Somerset and in Cumberland, named for the saint; Comb-Basset and Comb-Raleigh, named from the proprietors; Cwm-du (black dingle); Cwm-bychan (little dingle), in Wales; Corscombe (the dingle in the bog). In Ireland: Coomnahorna (the valley of the barley); Lackenacoombe (the hillside of the hollow); Lake Como, in Italy (in the hollow).

CONFLUENTES (Lat.),

a flowing together, hence the meeting of waters; e.g. Coblentz, for Confluentes (at the conf. of the Moselle and Rhine); Conflans (at the conf. of the Seine and Oise); Confluent, a hamlet situated at the conf. of the Creuse and Gartempe.

COP (Welsh),

a summit; e.g. Cop-yr-Leni (the illuminated hill), so called from the bonfires formerly kindled on the top.

CORCAGH, or CURRAGH (Irish),
CORS (Welsh),
CAR (Gael.),
KER (Scand.),

a marsh; e.g. Corse (the marsh); Corston, Corsby, Corsenside (the dwelling or settlement on the marsh); Corscombe (marsh dingle), in England. In Ireland: Cork, anc. Corcach-mor-Mumham (the great marsh of Munster); Curkeen, Corcaghan (little marsh); Curragh-more (great marsh); Currabaha (the marsh of birches). Perhaps Careby and Carton, in Lincoln, part of the Danish district, may be marsh dwelling.

CORNU (Lat.),
KERNE, CERYN (Cym.-Cel.),
CEARN (Gael.),

a horn, a corner—in topography, applied to headlands; e.g. Corneto (the place on the corner), in Italy; Corné, Cornay, Corneuil, etc., in France, from this root, or perhaps from Cornus (the cornel cherry-tree); Cornwall, Cel. Cernyu, Lat. Cornubiæ, A.S. Cornwallia (the promontory or corner peopled by the Weales, Welsh, or foreigners); Cornuailles, in Brittany, with the same meaning—its Celtic name was Pen-Kernaw (the head of the corner).

COTE (A.S.),
COITE (Gael.),
CWT (Welsh),
KOTHE (Ger.),

a hut; e.g. Cottenham, Cottingham, Coatham (the village of huts); Chatham, A.S. Coteham, with the same meaning; Bramcote (the hut among broom); Fencotes (the huts in the fen or marsh; Prescot (priest’s hut); Sculcoates, in Yorkshire, probably from the personal Scandinavian name Skule; Saltcoats, in Ayrshire (the huts occupied by the makers of salt, a trade formerly carried on to a great extent at that place); Kothendorf (the village of huts); Hinter-kothen (behind the huts), in Germany.

COTE, COTTA (Sansc.),

a fortress; e.g. Chicacotta (little fortress); Gazacotta (the elephant’s fortress); Jagarcote (bamboo fort); Islamcot (the fort of the true faith, i.e. of Mahomet); Noa-cote (new fort); Devicotta (God’s fortress); Palamcotta (the camp fort).

CÔTE (Fr.),
COSTA (Span. and Port.),

a side or coast; e.g. Côte d’Or (the golden coast), a department of France, so called from its fertility; Côtes-du-Nord (the Northern coasts), a department of France; Costa-Rica (rich coast), a state of Central America.

COURT (Nor. Fr.),
CWRT (Cym.-Cel.),
CORTE (It., Span., and Port.),

a place enclosed, the place occupied by a sovereign, a lordly mansion; from the Lat. cohors, also cors-cortis (an enclosed yard), cognate with the Grk. hortos. The Romans called the castles built by Roman settlers in the provinces cortes or cortem, thence court became a common affix to the names of mansions in England and France—thus Hampton Court and Hunton Court, in England; Leoncourt, Aubigne-court, Honnecourt (the mansion of Leo, Albinius, and Honulf); Aubercourt (of Albert); Mirecourt, Lat. Mercurii-curtis, where altars were wont to be dedicated to Mercury. From the diminutives of this word arose Cortiles, Cortina, Corticella, Courcelles, etc. The words court, cour, and corte were also used as equivalent to the Lat. curia (the place of assembly for the provincial councils)—thus Corte, in Corsica, where the courts of justice were held; but Corsica itself derived its name from the Phœnician chorsi (a woody place). The Cortes, in Spain, evidently equivalent to the Lat. curia, gives its name to several towns in that country; Coire, the capital of the Grisons, in Switzerland, comes from the anc. Curia Rhætiorum (the place where the provincial councils of the Rhætians were held); Corbridge, in Northumberland, is supposed to take its name from a Roman curia, and perhaps Currie, in East Lothian.

CRAIG, CARRAIG, CARRICK (Gadhelic),
CRAIG (Cym.-Cel.),

a rock; e.g. Craigie, Creich, Crathie, Gael. Creagach (rocky), parishes in Scotland; Carrick and Carrig, in Ireland (either the rocks or rocky ground); Carrick-on-Suir (the rock of the R. Suir)—v. p. 42; Craigengower (the goat’s rock); Craigendarroch (the rock of the oak-wood); Craigdou (black rock); Craigdearg (red rock); Craigmore (great rock); Craig-Phadric (St. Patrick’s rock), in Inverness-shire; Craignish (the rock of the island), the extremity of which is Ardcraignish; Craignethan (the rock encircled by the R. Nethan), supposed to be the archetype of Tullietudlem; Craigentinny (the little rock of the fire)—v. TEINE; Criggan (the little rock). In Wales, Crick-Howel and Crickadarn (the rock of Howel and Cadarn); Criccaeth (the narrow hill); Crick, in Derbyshire; Creach, in Somerset; Critch-hill, Dorset.

CREEK (A.S.), CRECCA,
KREEK (Teut.),
CRIQUE (Fr.),

a small bay; e.g. Cricklade, anc. Creccagelade (the bay of the stream); Crayford (the ford of the creek); Crique-bœuf, Crique-by, Crique-tot, Crique-villa (the dwelling on the creek); Criquiers (the creeks), in France. In America this word signifies a small stream, as Saltcreek, etc.

CROES, CROG (Cym.-Cel.),
CROIS, CROCH (Gadhelic),
CROD (A.S.), KRYS (Scand.),
KREUTZ (Ger.),
CROIX (Fr.),

a cross, cognate with the Lat. crux; e.g. Crosby (the dwelling near the cross); Crossmichael (the cross of St. Michael’s Church); Groes-wen for Croes-wen (the blessed cross), in Glamorgan; Crossthwaite (the forest-clearing at the cross); Croxton (cross town); Crewe and Crewkerne (the place at the cross); Croes-bychan (little cross); Kruzstrait (the road at the cross), in Belgium; Crosscanonby, Crosslee, Crosshill, places in different parts of Scotland, probably named from the vicinity of some cross; but Crossgates, Co. Fife, so called from its situation at a spot where roads cross each other. It was usual with the Celts in Ireland, as well as with the Spaniards and Portuguese in America, to mark the place where any providential event had occurred, or where they founded a church or city, by erecting a cross—as in St. Croix, Santa-Cruz, and Vera Cruz (the true cross), in South America. In Ireland: Crosserlough (the cross on the lake); Crossmolina (O’Mulleeny’s cross); Aghacross (the fort at the cross); Crossard (high cross); Crossreagh (gray cross); Crossmaglen, Irish Cros-mag-Fhloinn (the cross of Flann’s son); Crossau, Crossoge, and Crusheen (little cross); Oswestry, in Shropshire, anc. Croes-Oswalt (the cross on which Oswald, King of Northumberland, was executed by Penda of Mercia). Its Welsh name was Maeshir (long field), by the Saxons rendered Meserfield; Marcross (the cross on the sea-shore), in Glamorgan; Pen-y-groes, Maen-y-groes, Rhyd-y-croessau (the hill, the stone of the cross, the ford of the crosses), in Wales; Glencorse, near Edinburgh, for Glencross, so named from a remarkable cross which once stood there; Corstorphine, in Mid-Lothian, corrupt. from Crostorphin, which might mean the cross of the beautiful hill, torr fioum, or the cross of a person called Torphin. In the reign of James I. the church of Corstorphine became a collegiate foundation, with a provost, four prebendaries, and two singing boys. Croich in Gaelic means a gallows—thus Knockacrochy (gallows hill); Raheenacrochy (the little fort of the gallows), in Ireland.

CROAGH (Gael.),

a hill of a round form—from cruach (a haystack); e.g. Croghan, Crohane (the little round hill); Ballycroghan (the town of the little hill), in Ireland; Bencruachan (the stack-shaped hill), in Argyleshire.

CROFT (A.S.),

an enclosed field; e.g. Crofton (the town on the croft); Thornycroft (thorny field).

CROM, CRUM (Gadhelic),
CRWM (Cym.-Cel.),
KRUMM (Ger.),
CRUMB (A.S.),

crooked; e.g. Cromdale (the winding valley), in Inverness-shire; Croome, in Worcester; Cromlin, Crimlin (the winding glen, ghlinn), in Ireland; Krumbach (the winding brook); Krumau and Krumenau (the winding water or valley); Ancrum, a village in Roxburghshire, situated at the bend of the R. Alne at its confluence with the Teviot.

CRUG (Welsh),

a hillock; e.g. Crughwel (the conspicuous hillock, hywel); Crug-y-swllt (the hillock of the treasure), in Wales; Crickadarn, corrupt. from Crug-eadarn (the strong crag), in Wales.

CUL, CUIL} (Gadhelic) (the corner),}

e.g. Coull, Cults, parishes in Scotland; Culter, i.e. Cul-tir (at the back of the land), in Lanarkshire; Culcairn (of the cairn); Culmony (at the back of the hill or moss, monadh); Culloden for Cul-oiter (at the back of the ridge); Culnakyle (at the back of the wood); Cultulach (of the hill); Culblair (the backlying field); Culross (behind the headland), in Scotland. In Ireland: Coolboy (yellow corner); Coolderry (at the back or corner of the oak-wood); Cooleen, Cooleeny (little corner); Coleraine, in Londonderry, as well as Coolraine, Coolrainy, Coolrahne, Irish Cuil-rathain (the corner of ferns); Coolgreany (sunny corner); Coolnasmear (the corner of the blackberries).

CUND (Hindostanee),

a country; e.g. Bundelcund, Rohilcund (the countries of the Bundelas and Rohillas).