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

Ilfracombe, [54]
Illinois, named after the tribe Illini, i.e. the men; and ois, a tribe
Imaus, the snowy mountain
Inch—v. INNIS, [111]
Ingleborough Mountain, [24]
Inkermann, Turc. the place of caverns
Innerleithen, [112]
Innsbrück, at the bridge, on the R. Inn
Interlachen, [119]
Inverness, [112]
Iona or I, [108]
Iowa, the drowsy ones, a tribe name, U.S.
Ipswich, [209]
Ireland or Ierne, [108]
Irkutsk, [176]
Irrawädi, the great river
Iscanderoon, named after Alexander the Great
Iserlohn, [130]
Isla, in the Hebrides, named after Yula, a Danish princess who was buried there
Ispahan, Pers. the place of horses
Issoire, [70]
Issoudun, [69]
Ithaca, the strait or steep

Jabalon R., [112]
Jaffa or Joppa, Semitic, beauty
Jamaica, corrupt. from Xaymaca, the land of wood and water
Jamboli, Sclav. the city in the hollow
Janina, Sclav. John’s town
Jaroslav, named after its founder
Jassy, Sclav. the marshy place
Jauer, [113]
Java, [65]
Jersey, [71]
Jersey, in U.S., so named by Sir George Carteret, who had come from the Island of Jersey
Jerusalem, Semitic, the abode of peace
Joinville, [201]
Joppa—v. Jaffa, the beautiful
Jouare, anc. Ara-Jovis, the altar of Jove
Juggernaut, or more correctly Jagganatha, the Lord of the world—jacat, Sansc. the world, and natha, Lord
Juliers, [109]
Jumna R., named after Yamuna, a goddess
Jungfrau Mountain, Ger. the maiden or the fair one, so called from its spotless white
Jura Isle, Scand. Deor-oe, deer island
Jüterbogk, named for the Sclav. god of spring
Jutland, named from the Jutes

Kaffraria, Ar. the land of the Kafirs or unbelievers
Kaisarizeh, the mod. name of anc. Cæsarea
Kaiserlautern, [113]
Kalgan, Tartar, the gate, a town in China
Kampen, [35]
Kandy, splendour
Kansas, a tribe name
Karlsbad, [16]
Keith, Gael. the cloudy, from ceath, a cloud or mist
Kel and Kil—v. COILL or CILL
Kells, [48]
Kelso, [38]
Kempen, [40]
Ken—v. CEANN
Kendal, [60]
Kenmare, [46]
Kensington, the town of the Kensings
Kent, [45]
Kentucky, the dark and bloody ground
Kerry Co., Ir. Ciarraidhe, the district of the race of Ciar
Kettering, a patronymic
Kew, [107]
Khartoum, the promontory
Khelat, [114]
Kin—v. CEANN
Kinghorn, [45]
Kingsclere, [5]
King’s Co., named after Philip II. of Spain
Kingston, [147]
Kingussie, [45]
Kirkillisia, the forty churches in Turkey
Kirkintilloch, [38]
Kirkwall, [115]
Kishon R., i.e. the tortuous stream
Kissengen, a patronymic
Klagenfurt, [84]
Knock—v. CNOC
Königgratz, the king’s fortress
Kordofan, the white land
Koros R., Hung, the red river
Koslin, [118]
Kothendorf, [47]
Kralowitz, [118]
Kraszna R., beautiful river
Kremenetz, [118]
Kremnitz, [118]
Krishna or Kistna R., the black stream, in India
Kronstadt, [118]
Kulm, [47]
Kyle—v. CAOL

La Hogue, Cape, [102]
Laaland Isle, [119]
Labuan Isle, Malay, the anchorage
Laccadives, [65]
Laconia, [120]
Ladrone Isles, Span. the islands of thieves
Lagnieu, [120]
Lagos, [120]
Laguna, [120]
Lahr, [123]
Lambeth, [105]
Lambride, [121]
Lamlash, [120]
Lampeter, [121]
Lamsaki, anc. Lampsacus, the passage
Lanark, [121]
Land’s End—v. PEN
Landerneau, [121]
Langres, anc. Langone, named from the Lingones, a tribe
Languedoc, named from the use of the word oc, for yes, in their language, i.e. Langue-d’oc
Lannion, [121]
Laon, [130]
Larbert, named from a man of this name
Largo, [124]
Largs, [124]
Larissa, named after a daughter of Pelasgus
Lassa, the land of the Divine intelligence, the capital of Thibet
Latakia, corrupt. from anc. Laodicea
Latheron, [103]
Lauder, named from the R. Leader
Lauffen, [123]
Launceston, [121]
Laval, anc. Vallis-Guidonis, the valley of Guido
Lawrence R., so named because discovered on St. Laurence’s Day, 1535
Laybach or Laubach, [15]
Leam R., [125]
Leamington, [125]
Lebanon Mountain, [89]
Leeds, [125]
Leibnitz, [124]
Leighlin, [91]
Leighton-Buzzard, [21]
Leinster, [183]
Leipzig, [128]
Leith, named from the river at whose mouth it stands
Leitrim, [67]
Lemberg, [24]
Leobschütz, the place of the Leubuzi, a Sclavonic tribe
Leominster, [130]
Leon, anc. Legio, the station of the 7th Roman Legion
Lepanto, Gulf of, corrupt. from Naupactus, Grk. the ship station
Lerida, anc. Llerda, Basque, the town
Lesmahago, [128]
Letterkenny, [125]
Leuchars, the marshy land
Levant, Lat. the place of the sun-rising, as seen from Italy
Leven R., [124]
Lewes, Les ewes, the waters
Lewis Island, Scand. Lyodhuus, the wharf
Leyden, [69]
Liberia, the country of the free, colonised by emancipated slaves
Lichfield, [77]
Lidkioping, [47]
Liège, [125]
Liegnitz, [130]
Lifford, [25]
Ligny, a patronymic
Lille, [111]
Lilybaeum, Phœn. opposite Libya
Lima, corrupt. from Rimæ, the name of the river on which it stands and of a famous idol
Limbourg, [126]
Limerick, corrupt. from Lomnech, a barren spot; lom, bare
Limoges, anc. Lemovicum, the dwelling of the Lemovici
Linares, Span. flax fields
Lincoln, [53]
Lindesnaes, [126]
Lindores, in Fife, probably a corruption of Lann-Tours, being the seat of an anc. Abbey of Tours, founded by David, Earl of Huntingdon
Linkioping, [47]
Linlithgow, [127]
Lisbellaw, [128]
Lisbon, [104]
Lisieux, in France, Lat. Noviomagus, the new field, subsequently named from the Lexovii
Liskeard, [128]
Lissa, [125]
Liverpool, [158]
Livno, Livny, Livonia, named from the Liefs, a Ugrian tribe
Llanerch-y-medd, the place of honey, in Wales
Llanos, Span. the level plains
Lochaber, [3]
Lockerby, [37]
Lodi, anc. Laus-Pompeii
Logie, [120]
Lombardy, the country of the Longobardi, so called from a kind of weapon which they used
London, [64]
Londonderry, [61]
Longford, [83]
Longniddrie—v. LLAN, [122]
Loop Head, [123]
Lorca, [109]
Loretto, named from Lauretta, a lady who gave the site for a chapel at that place
L’Orient, so named from an establishment of the East India Company at the place in 1666
Lorn, Gael. Labhrin, named after one of the Irish colonists from Dalriada
Lossie R., [1]
Loughill, Ir. Leamchoil, the elm-wood
Louisiana, named after Louis XIV. of France
Louisville, [201]
Louth, in Lincoln, named from the R. Ludd
Louth Co., Ir. Lugh Magh, the field of Lugh
Louvain, Ger. Löwen, the lion, named after a person called Leo
Lowestoft, [192]
Lubeck, [128]
Luben, [128]
Lublin, [128]
Lucca, anc. Luca—v. LUCUS
Lucena, Basque Lucea, the long town
Lucerne, named from a lighthouse or beacon, lucerna, formerly placed on a tower in the middle of the R. Rheus
Lucknow, corrupt. from the native name Laksneanauti, the fortunate
Ludlow, [123]
Ludwigslust, [131]
Lugano, [119]
Lugo, [130]
Lugos, [130]
Lund, [131]
Lurgan, Ir. the low ridge
Luxembourg, [131]
Luxor, corrupt. from El-Kasur, the palaces
Lycus R., Grk. leukos
Lyme, in Kent, anc. Kainos-limen, Grk. the new haven
Lyme-Regis, on the R. Lyme
Lyons, [69]

Macao, in China, where there was a temple sacred to an idol named Ama. The Portuguese made it Amagoa, the bay of Ama, corrupted first to Amacao and then to Macao
Madeira, Port. the woody island
Madras, [153]
Madrid, anc. Majerit, origin unknown, but perhaps from Madarat, Ar. a city
Maelawr, from mael, Welsh, mart, and lawr, ground, a general name for places in Wales where trade could be carried on without any hindrance from diversity of races.—James’s Welsh Names of Places
Maestricht, [66]
Magdala, Semitic, a watch-tower in Abyssinia
Magdala, in Saxe-Weimar, on the R. Midgel
Magor, corrupt. from Magwyr, Welsh, a ruin, the name of a railway station near Chepstow
Maidenhead, [105]
Maidstone, [181]
Main R., [132]
Maine, in France, named from the Cenomani
Mainland, [132]
Malabar Coast, or Malaywar, the hilly country
Malacca, named from the tree called Malacca
Malaga, Phœn. malac, salt, named from its trade in salt
Malakoff, named after a sailor of that name who established a public-house there
Maldives Islands, [65]
Maldon, [69]
Mallow, [132]
Malpas, Fr. the difficult pass
Malta, Phœn. Melita, a place of refuge
Malvern, [139]
Mancha, La, Span. a spot of ground covered with weeds
Manchester, [44]
Manfredonia, named after Manfred, King of Naples, by whom it was built
Mangalore, named after an Indian deity
Mangerton Mountain, in Ireland, corrupt. from Mangartach, i.e. the mountain covered with mang, a long hairlike grass
Mans, Le, named after the Cenomani
Mansorah, in Egypt, the victorious
Mantinea, Grk. the place of the prophet or oracle, mantis
Mantua, [133]
Manzanares, Span. the apple-tree orchard
Maracaybo, [143]
Maranao, Span. a place overgrown with weeds
Marathon, a place abounding in fennel, marathos
Marazion, [84]
Marburg, [134]
March, [134]
Marchena, the marshy land
Marengo, [136]
Margarita, the island of pearls
Margate, [88]
Marienwerder, [205]
Marlow, Great, [136]
Marmora, Sea of, named from an adjacent island, celebrated for its marble, marmor
Marnoch, Co. Banff, named from St. Marnoch
Maros R., [136]
Maros-Vasarhely, [103]
Marquesas Isles, named after Marquis Mendoza, Viceroy of Peru, who originated the voyage through which they were discovered
Marsala, [135]
Maryland, named after the queen of Charles I.
Mathern, corrupt. from Merthyr, the martyr, the name of a church near Chepstow, built in memory of Fewdrig, King of Gwent, who died on its site as he was returning wounded from a battle against the Saxons
Mathravel, the land of apples, one of the ancient provinces into which Wales was divided
Matlock, [130]
Mauritius, discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, visited by the Dutch in 1596, who named it after Prince Maurice of the Netherlands. From 1713 till 1810 it belonged to the French, who called it Isle of France
May Island, [132]
Maynooth, [132]
Mayo, the plain of yew-trees
Mazzara, Phœn. the castle
Mazzarino, the little castle
Mearns, corrupt. from Maghgkerkkin, the plain of Kerkin
Meaux, named from the Meldi
Mecklenburg, [137]
Medellin, named after its founder, Metellus, the Roman consul
Medina, [135]
Mediterranean Sea, [138]
Meiningen, [132]
Meissen, on the R. Meissa
Melbourne, named after Lord Melbourne in 1837
Meldrum, [67]
Melrose, [139]
Melun, [69]
Memmingen, a patronymic
Memphis or Memphe, i.e. Ma-m-Phthah, the place of the Egyptian god Phthah
Menai Strait, anc. Sruth-monena
Menam, the mother of waters, a river of Siam
Mendip Hills, i.e. mune-duppe, rich in mines
Mentone, It. the chin, on a point of lead
Merida, Lat. Augusta Emerita, the town of the emeriti or veterans, founded by Emperor Augustus
Merioneth, named after Merion, a British saint
Merthyr-Tydvil, named after the daughter of an ancient British king
Meseritz, [138]
Meshed, Ar. the mosque
Mesolonghi or Missolonghi, [119]
Mesopotamia, [138]
Metz, named from the Meomatrici, a tribe
Michigan Lake, Ind. great lake, or the weir, or fish-trap, from its shape
Middelburg, [138]
Midhurst, [138]
Miklos, [137]
Milan, [115]
Milton, [144]
Minnesota R., the sky-coloured water
Miramichi, Ind. happy retreat
Mirgorod, [138]
Mississippi R., Ind. the father of waters
Missouri, Ind. the muddy stream
Mitrovicz or Mitrovitz, [152]
Mittau, named from Mita, a Sclav. deity
Modena, Lat. Mutina, the fortified place
Moffat, the foot of the moss
Mogadore, named after a saint whose tomb is on an island off the coast
Moguer, Ar. the caves
Mohawk R., named from a tribe
Moidart or Moydart, [132]
Mola, It. the mound, anc. Turres-Juliani, the town of Julian
Mold, [142]
Monaghan, Ir. Muneachain, a place abounding in little hills
Monaster, [138]
Monasterevin, [138]
Monda, [142]
Mondego, [142]
Monena, the river or sea of Mona
Monmouth, at the mouth of the Mynwy, i.e. the border river, from which it took its ancient name
Montgomery, [142]
Montrose, [168]
Moravia, [136]
Morayshire, [119]
Morbihan, [119]
Morecambe Bay, [39]
Morocco, the country of the Moors, [22]
Morpeth, [143]
Morven, [143]
Morvern, [143]
Moscow, [142]
Moulins, [141]
Mourne Mountains, [142]
Moy, Moyne, [132]
Muhlhausen, [141]
Mull Island, [145]
Münden, [140]
Munich, [140]
Munster, in Germany, [138]
Munster, in Ireland, [138]
Murcia, [134]
Murviedro, [145]
Muscat or Meschid, Ar. the tomb of a saint
Muthil, [143]
Mysore, corrupt. from Mahesh-Asura, the name of a buffalo-headed monster, said to have been destroyed by the goddess Kali