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

Saale R., [169]
Saarbrück, [31]
Saar-Louis, [12]
Sabor, [28]
Sabor R., [28]
Saffron Walden, [202]
Sagan, Sclav. behind the road
Sahara, [176]
Saida or Sidon, Semitic, fish town
Saintes, named from the Santones
Salamanca, [169]
Salem, in U.S., intended by the Puritans to be a type of the New Jerusalem
Salford, [169]
Salins, [169]
Salisbury, [35]
Salonica, corrupt. from Thessalonica
Salop, contracted from Sloppesbury, the Norman corruption of Scrobbesbury, the town among shrubs, now Shrewsbury—v. [34]
Saltcoats, [55]
Salzburg, [169]
Samarcand, said to have been named after Alexander the Great
Samaria, the town of Shemir
Samos, Phœn. the lofty
Sandwich, [209]
Sangerhausen—v. SANG
Sanquhar, [172]
San Salvador, the Holy Saviour, the first land descried by Columbus, and therefore named by him from the Saviour, who had guarded him in so many perils
San Sebastian, the first Spanish colony founded in South America
Santa Cruz, [57]
Santa Fé, the city of the holy faith, founded by Queen Isabella after the siege of Granada
Santander, named after St. Andrew
Saragossa, corrupt. from Cæsarea Augusta; its Basque name was Saluba, the sheep’s ford
Sarawak, Malay Sarakaw, the cove
Sarnow, [212]
Saskatchewan, swift current, a river in British North America
Saul, in Gloucester—v. SALH, [169]
Saul, Co. Down—v. SABHALL, [168]
Saumur, anc. Salmurium, the walled building
Saxony, [170]
Scala-nova, [39]
Scalloway, [170]
Scarborough, [175]
Scawfell Mountain, [78]
Schaffhausen, [102]
Schemnitz, [114]
Schichallion Mountain, Gael. Ti-chail-linn, the maiden’s pap
Schleswick, [209]
Schmalkalden, [171]
Schotturen, the Scotch Vienna, a colony of Scottish monks having settled there
Schreckhorn Mountain, [107]
Schweidnitz, Sclav. the place of the cornel-tree
Schweinfurt, the ford of the Suevi
Schwerin, [172]
Scilly Islands, the islands of the rock, siglio
Scinde, the country of the R. Indus or Sinde
Scratch meal Scar, in Cumberland—v. SKAER, [175]
Scutari, in Albania, corrupt. from Scodra, hill town
Scutari, in Turkey, from Uskudar, Pers. a messenger, having been in remote periods, what it is to this day, a station for Asiatic couriers
Sebastopol, [158]
Sedlitz, [174]
Segovia, anc. Segubia, probably the plain on the river-bend; ce, a plain, and gubia, a bend
Selby, [173]
Selinga, [173]
Semipalatinsk, [152]
Senlis, [173]
Sens, named from the Senones
Seringapatam, [153]
Settle, [173]
Seville, Phœn. Sephala, a marshy plain
Sevres, named from the two rivers which traverse it, anc. Villa Savara
Shamo, Chinese, the desert
Shan—v. SEANN, [172]
Shanghai, supreme court
Shansi, west of the mountain
Shantung, east of the mountain
Sherborne, [172]
Shetland Islands, [104]
Shields, [170]
Shiraz, [174]
Shirvan, said to have been named after Nieshirvan, a king of Persia
Shotover, corrupt. from Chateauvert, green castle
Shrewsbury—v. Salop
Sicily, named from the Siculi, a tribe
Sidlaw Hills, fairy hills—v. SIDH
Sidon—v. Saida, in Index.
Silesia, Sclav. Zlezia, the bad land
Silhet or Sirihat, the rich market
Silloth Bay, perhaps herring bay, sil, Norse, a herring, and lod, a bundle of fishing lines
Sion or Sitten, [174]
Sion, Mount, the upraised
Skagen, Cape, [176]
Skager-rack, [176]
Skaw Cape, [176]
Skipton, [176]
Skye Island, Gael. Ealan-skianach, the winged island
Slamanan, [177]
Sligo, named from the R. Sligeach, shelly water
Sluys, [171]
Slyne Head, [46]
Snäfell Mountain, [78]
Snaith, [177]
Snowdon Mountain, [70]
Socotra, [65]
Soissons, named from the Suessiones
Sokoto, the market-place
Soleure, corrupt. from St. Ours or Ursinus, to whom the church was dedicated
Solway Firth, according to Camden, was named from a small village in Scotland called Solam
Somerset, [173]
Sommariva, the summit of the bank
Somogy, Hung. the place of cornel-trees
Sophia, Grk. wisdom, dedicated to the second person of the Trinity
Sorbonne, named from Robert de Sorbonne, almoner of St. Louis
Söst or Soest, [174]
Soudan—v. BELED
Southampton, [194]
Southwark, [206]
Souvigny, [173]
Spa, [82]
Spalatro, [152]
Sparta, Grk. the sowed land or the place of scattered houses
Spires or Speyer, named from the R. Speyerbach
Spitzbergen, [156]
Spurn Head, the look-out cape, from spyrian, to look out
St. Alban’s Head, corrupt. from St. Aldhelm’s Head
St. Andrews, so named from a tradition that the bones of St. Andrew were brought to that place by St. Regulus: formerly called Mucros, the boar’s headland, and then Kilrymont, the church or cell of the king’s mount
St. Cloud for St. Hloddwald
St. David’s, in Wales, Welsh Ty-Ddewi—v. TY
St. Heliers for St. Hilarius
St. Omer for St. Awdomar
Stadel, etc., [179]
Staffa, [180]
Staines, [181]
Stamboul, [158]
Stanislaus, named after Stanislaus of Poland
Stantz, [181]
Stargard, [182]
Starodub, [182]
Startpoint, [182]
Stavropol, [158]
Stellenbosch, [36]
Stepney, [105]
Stetten, Sclav. Zytyn, the place of green corn
Stirling, Cym.-Cel. Ystrevelyn, the town of the Easterlings, from Flanders
Stockholm, [106]
Stockport, [184]
Stockton, [184]
Stoke, [183]
Stolpe, [184]
Stonehaven, [97]
Stow-market, [183]
Stradbally, [184]
Stralsund, [185]
Strasbourg, [184]
Strehlitz, [184]
Striegau or Cziska, Sclav. the place on the small stream, tschuga
Stulweissenburg—v. FEHER
Stuttgard, [87]
Styria or Steyermark, the boundary of the R. Steyer
Sudetic Mountains, [185]
Suez, the mouth or opening
Suffolk, [185]
Sumatra, corrupt. from Trimatra, the happy
Sunderbunds, corrupt. from Sundari-vana, so called from the forest, vana, of Sundari-trees
Sunderland, [186]
Surat, i.e. Su-rashta, the good country
Surrey, [164]
Susa, a city of ancient Persia, so called from the lilies in its neighbourhood; susa, a lily
Sussex, [170]
Sutherlandshire, [185]
Sviatoi-nos, [146]
Swan R., so named from the number of black swans seen by the first discoverer
Swansea, [71]
Sweden, [164]
Sydney, named after a governor of the colony
Syria—v. BELED, [20]
Szent-kercsyt, [186]
Szentes, for saint, [186]

Tabriz, anc. Taurus, the mountain town
Tagus or Tejo R., Phœn. the fish river
Tain, [190]
Takhtapul, the throne city, the seat of the Turkish Afghan government
Takht-i-Soliman, the throne of Solomon, being the highest of the Solomon Mountains
Talavera, [29]
Tamsai, fresh water town, in China
Tananarivo, the city of one thousand towns, the capital of Madagascar
Tanderagee, Ir. Ton-legœith, the place with its back to the wind
Tanjier, Phœn. the city protected by God
Tanjore, corrupt. from Tanjavur, derived from its ancient name Tanja-Nagaram, the city of refuge
Tarazona, [199]
Tarifa, named after a Moorish chief
Tarnopol, [187]
Tarporley, [126]
Tarragona, anc. Tarraco, Phœn. Tarchon, the citadel or palace
Tarsus, Phœn. the strong place
Tasmania, named after Abel Tasman, who discovered it in 1642. It was called Van Diemen’s Land in honour of the Governor-General of the Dutch East India Company
Taurus Mountain, [196]
Tavistock, [184]
Tay R., [187]
Tcherniz, [212]
Teflis, [189]
Teltown, Ir. Tailten, where Taillte, the daughter of the King of Spain, was buried
Temeswar, Hung. the fortress on the R. Temes
Temisconata, the wonder of water, a county and lake in Canada
Temple, a parish in Mid-Lothian, where there was an establishment for the Templars or Red Friars, founded by David I.
Tennessee R., the spoon-shaped river, so called from its curve
Tenterden, [62]
Teramo, [14]
Terni, [14]
Terranova, [189]
Texas, Ind. hunting ground
Tezcuco, Mexican, the place of detention
Thames R., [187]
Thannheim, [187]
Thapsus, the passage
Thaxsted, [180]
Thebes, in Egypt, Taba, the capital
Thermia, Grk. the place of warm springs, in Sicily
Thermopylæ, the defile of the warm springs
Thian-shan, Chinese, the celestial mountains
Thian-shan-nan-loo, the country south of the celestial mountains
Thian-shan-pe-loo, the country north of the celestial mountains
Thibet, supposed to be a corrupt. of Thupo, the country of the Thou, a people who founded an empire there in the sixth century
This or Abou-This, i.e. the city of This, corrupted by the Greeks into Abydos
Thouars, [12]
Thrace, Grk. the rough land, trachus
Thun, [69]
Thurgau, [88]
Thurles, [128]
Thurso, [1]
Tiber R., [192]
Tideswell, [161]
Tierra-del-Fuego, [189]
Tillicoultry, [198]
Tilsit or Tilzela, at the conf. of the R. Tilzele with the Memel
Tinnevelly, corrupt. from Trinavali, one of the names of Vishnu
Tinto Hill, [189]
Tipperary, [192]
Tiree Island, [189]
Tiverton, [83]
Tlascala, Mexican, the place of bread
Tobermory, [192]
Tobolsk, [176]
Todmorden, corrupt. from Todmare-dean, the valley of the foxes’ mere or marsh
Tomantoul, [192]
Tomsk, [176]
Tongres, [186]
Tonquin, Chinese Tang-king, the eastern capital
Toome—v. TUAIM, [197]
Töplitz, Neu and Alt
Torgau, [195]
Torquay, [195]
Torres Straits, named after one of Magalhaen’s lieutenants
Torres-Vedras, [195]
Torquemada, [195]
Tory Island, [195]
Toul and Toulouse, [50]
Toulon, anc. Telonium or Telo Martius, named after its founder
Tourcoing, [195]
Tours, [196]
Towie and Tough, parishes in Aberdeenshire, from Gael, tuath, the north
Trafalgar, [90]
Tralee, [196]
Tranent, [197]
Transylvania, [173]
Trapani, anc. Drapanum, the sickle, Grk. drepanon
Tras-os-Montes, [142]
Traun R., [196]
Traunik, [196]
Traunviertel, [196]
Trave R., [196]
Trebizond, Grk. trapezus, the table, so called from its form
Trent, anc. Civitas-Tridentium, the town of the Tridenti
Trêves, named from the Treviri, a tribe
Trichinapalli, the town of the giant Trisira
Trim, at the elder-tree, [197]
Trinidad, so named by Columbus from its three peaks, emblematic of the Holy Trinity
Tring, a patronymic
Tripoli, [158]
Tripolitza, [158]
Trolhätta Fall, Goth. the abyss of the trolls or demons
Trondhjem or Drontheim
Troon, [178]
Troppau, i.e. Zur-Oppa, on the R. Oppa
Troyes, named from the Tricasses
Truro, [197]
Truxillo, in Spain, corrupt. from Turris-Julii, Julius’s tower
Tuam, [197]
Tubingen, anc. Diowingen, probably a patronymic
Tudela, anc. Tutela, the watch-tower
Tullamore, [197]
Tulle, anc. Tutela, the watch-tower
Tullow, [197]
Turin, anc. Augusta-Taurinorum, named from the Taurini, i.e. dwellers among hills
Tweed R., Brit. tuedd, a border
Tyndrum, [188]
Tynron, [188]
Tyre, [196]
Tyrnau, on the R. Tyrnau
Tyrone, [189]
Tzerna or Czerna R., [212]
Tzernagora, [212]

Udny, a parish in Aberdeenshire, i.e. Wodeney, from the Saxon god Woden
Uist, North and South, Scand. Vist, an abode
Uj-hely, Hung. new place
Ukraine, Sclav. the frontier or boundary
Ulleswater, [206]
Ulm or Ulma, the place of elm-trees
Ulster, [183]
Unst Island, anc. Ornyst, Scand. the eagle’s nest
Unyamuezi, the land of the moon
Upsala, [169]
Ural Mountains and R., Tartar, the belt or girdle
Usedom, the Germanised form of Huzysch, Sclav. the place of learning
Usk R., [198]
Utrecht, [66]

Valais, [199]
Valence, in France, and
Valencia, in Spain, anc. Valentia, the powerful
Valenciennes and Valenza, or Valence, said to have been named after the Emperor Valentinian
Valentia Island, in Ireland, Ir. Dearbhre, the oak wood
Valetta, in Malta, named after the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John in 1566
Valparaiso, [200]
Van Diemen’s Land, named after Maria Van Diemen by Tasman
Vannes, named from the Veneti
Varna, Turc. the fortress
Varosvar, [200]
Vasarhely, [103]
Vaucluse, [200]
Vaud, Pays de, [200]
Velekaja R., [200]
Vendée, La, and
Vendôme, named from the Veneti
Venezuela, little Venice, so called from an Indian village constructed on piles, discovered by the Spaniards
Venice, [79]
Venloo, [79]
Ventnor, [150]
Ventry, [196]
Verdun and Verden, [69]
Vermont, green mountain
Vevey, anc. Vibiscum, on the R. Vip
Viborg, [201]
Vick, [210]
Vienna, Ger. Wien, on the R. Wien, an affluent of the Danube
Viesti, named from a temple dedicated to Vesta
Vigo, [209]
Vimeira, Port. the place of osiers, vime
Vincennes, anc. Ad-Vicenas
Virginia, named after Queen Elizabeth
Vistula or Wisla, the west-flowing river
Vitré, corrupt. from Victoriacum, the victorious
Vitry, the victorious, founded by Francis I.
Vladimir, founded by the ducal family of that name in the twelfth century
Vogelberg, the hill of birds
Volga, the great water
Volhynia, Sclav. the plain
Voorburg, [84]
Voralberg, i.e. in front of the Arlberg ridge
Vukovar, the fortress on the R. Vuka

Wakefield, [206]
Walcherin Island, [204]
Waldeck, [202]
Walden, Saffron, [202]
Wales, [203]
Wallachia, [204]
Wallendorf, [204]
Wallenstadt, [204]
Wallingford, [203]
Walthamstow, [202]
Ware, [207]
Wareham, [207]
Warminster, [207]
Warrington, a patronymic
Warsaw, the fortified place—v. VAR
Warwick, [205]
Waterford, [80]
Waterloo, [130]
Weimar, [134]
Weissenfels, [207]
Weistritz R., the swift, straight stream
Well—v. QUELLE
Welland R., the river into which the tide flows
Wellingborough, a patronymic
Wellington, a patronymic
Wells, [161]
Welshpool, Welsh Trallwng, the quagmire
Wem, [198]
Wemys, uamh, the cave
Werden, [205]
Wesely, Hung. pleasant
Weser R., [1]
Westeraas, [208]
Westphalia, the western plain
Wetterhorn, [108]
Wexford, [80]
Whitby, [37]
Whitehaven, [97]
Whithorn, [11]
Wiborg, [201]
Wick, [209]
Wicklow, [209]
Wiesbaden, [16]
Wigan, [201]
Wight, Isle of, anc. Zuzo-yr-with, the island of the channel
Wigton, [201]
Wiltshire, [173]
Wimbleton, [193]
Wimborne, [210]
Winchester, [44]
Windsor, [150]
Wirksworth, [208]
Wisbeach, the shore of the R. Ouse, uisge, water
Wisconsin, Ind. the wild rushing channel
Wismar, [210]
Withey, [207]
Wittenberg, [207]
Wittstock, [210]
Wladislawaw, the town of Wladislav
Wokingham, [5]
Wolfenbuttel, [27]
Wolga—v. Volga
Wolverhampton, [193]
Woodstock, [210]
Wooler, [211]
Woolwich, [104]
Worcester, anc. Huic-wara-ceaster, the camp of the Huieci
Worms, [133]
Worm’s Head, the serpent’s head, ornr, from its form
Worthing, [211]
Wrath, Cape, Scand. the cape of the hvarf, or turning
Wrietzen or Brietzen, Sclav. the place of birch-trees—v. BRASA
Wroxeter, anc. Uriconium
Wurtemberg, anc. Wrtinisberk, from a personal name
Wurtzburg, [212]
Wycombe, [53]
Wyoming Valley, corrupt. from Maugh-wauwame, Ind. the large plains