Richard Morris

“ Names of places in a great measure belong to the oldest and most primitive evidences of language, and they are of the highest importance in the history of nations and dialects.—H. Leo.
It cannot be doubted that local names, and those devoted to distinguish the natural features of a country, possess an inherent vitality which even the urgency of conquest is unable to remove.—Kemble.
The geography and history of a nation must be sought in the language of the name-givers of that country, or in a translation of the language of the name-givers of that country.—Pococke. ”

“ There is one class of words which is very suggestive—we mean those names which have been attached for ages to places familiar to us from the days of our childhood, from our pleasure excursions, or from our course of reading. The thoughtful mind cannot remain long contented with names that convey no meaning with them ”

“ Dray-ton, the squirrel’s town.
Want-ley, Wantis-den, and Want-age, derive their name from Want, Wanat, the mole.
The names of Birds are sometimes to be met with in local nomenclature; among the most important are the following:—
The Eagle, Arl (German) in
Arls-heim, Arl-berg, Eagles-cliffe, the eagle’s rock; Eagle’s-hay, the eagle’s field; Ayles-bury, the eagle’s city; Ayle-stone, the eagle’s stone; Eagl-ey, the eagle’s river isle.
We find some trace of the Scandinavian name for the eagle (Ari, Arin, Ern, Orn) in
Arnes-by, the eagle’s town; Earn-ley, Ar-ley, the eagle’s meadow ”

“ The names of animals which enter largely into geographical nomenclature need little explanation; most of them, being familiar, may be easily identified.
Nate, Net (Scandinavian) horned cattle; Neat (English) , occurs in Nate-ly, Nat-land, and Nate-ly Scures.
The Wild Boar, in Anglo-Saxon Ever (éofer, ebur, efer) , is found in
Ever-shaw, the wild boar’s field; Ever-shot, Evers-holt, the wild boar’s wood; Evers-don, the wild boar’s hill; Ever-ton, the wild boar’s town or enclosure. Ever-leigh, Ever-ley, the wild boar’s meadow. ”

“ The Swaefas, a tribe who was known to have dwelt on the borders of the Angles on the Continent, appear to have given their name to Swaff-ham in Norfolk. Mr. Kemble, quoting other well known names from the mythic and half mythic history of the continental Teutons, points out as further instances, that the Brentings of the northern romance are found in England at Brenting-ley in Leicestershire, and at Branting-ham in Yorkshire. The Scyldings and Scylfings, celebrated northern races, give their name to Skelding, and to two places named Skilling-ton in Northumberland and Dorsetshire. ”

“ The word Tree occurs very often in the names of places, and is no doubt connected with some historical circumstance: e.g.—
Oswes-try, Coven-try, Dodin-tree, Web-tree, Grey-tree, Els-tree, &c.
The Oak (Ac) is found in
Ac-ton, the oak town; Ack-worth, the oak farm; Auck-land, the oak district; Aike-Beck-Mouth, the mouth of the oak rivulet; Oak-leigh, Ock-ley, Oak-ley, Wok-ing, the oak meadow; As-kew (Ake-skeugh) , the oak knoll; Ax-holme, the oak island; Ex-fold, the oak enclosure; Ex-twistle, the oak borders; Oke-hanger-mere, the oak meadow-lake; Oak-ham, the oak dwelling ”

“ Gas-garth, the enclosure of the geese; Gos-forth, the ford of the geese; Gas-dale, the vale of the geese.
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The word Fowl, which occurs in numerous places, had originally a much wider meaning than at present. Any flying creature, was a bird; and in this sense we find it in
Fouls-ham, Ful-ham, the bird’s home; Full-wood, the bird’s wood; Fouln-ey, Fugl-oe, the bird’s island; Vogels-berg, the bird’s hill.
The names of Fish seem rather scarce; we find
Fish-bourn, the stream, abounding in fish; Fisher-gate, fish street; Fisher-ton, fish town; Fish-guard, fish enclosure ”

“ Gris (Scandinavian) wild swine, gives name to
Gris-dale, the wild swine’s vale; Mun-gris-dale, the monks’ wild swine’s vale.
We may trace the Wolf in
Woolver-hampton, the wolf’s home-town; Woolvis-ton, the wolf’s town; Wool-hope, Wolf’s-hope, the wolf’s shelter; Woln-ey, the wolf’s island; Woolver-den, the wolf’s hollow; Wool-mer, the wolf’s lake; Wolf-ham-cote, the wolf’s home hut ”

“ The Haussa and Galla dialects are now considered as Semitic idioms.
(C) The Turanian family of languages is distinguished from the Arian and Semitic in the total absence of inflection.
To express the variations for case, mood, &c., Turanian words undergo no inflection; but an additional word is glued, as it were to the noun, verb, &c., as the case may be, in order to express the relations of case, mood, &c. Hence these have been termed agglutinizing languages.
To connect the idea of plurality with the English word boy, we merely inflect it, and obtain the word boys ”

“ The Ardings, who are found at Arding-ton in Berkshire, and at Arding-ley in Sussex, are, he says, the Azdingi, the royal race of the Visigoths and Vandals; and the Banings of the Continent, over whom, when the curious Anglo-Saxon fragment called the Traveller’s Song was written, a Prince named Becca ruled, are recognised [17] in Banning-ham in Norfolk. The Helsings gave name to Helsing-ton in Westmoreland, and to Helsing-land in Sweden; and we find the name of the Blecingas as well in Bleckingen in Sweden as in Bletching-ton in Oxfordshire and Bletching-ley in Surrey. ”

“ In Europe there are no less than six branches of the Arian family:
I. The Celtic. Though the Celts seem to have been the first [7] inhabitants of Europe, very few of their dialects are now spoken, having been superseded by the Teutonic idioms.
Modern Celtic dialects are divided into two classes; (a) the Gallic or Ancient British, including the Welsh (Cymric) , Cornish, and Armorican of Brittany; (b) the Galic, Gadhelic, or Erse, including the Irish (Fenic) , the Highland Scottish (Gaelic) , and Manx, the dialect of the Isle of Man.
II. The Teutonic. This branch is divided into three dialects ”

“ Individuals.
The names of persons, especially those of princes and great landowners, constitute a very large element in local nomenclature. The name of Ella is found in Elles-mere (Ella’s-lake) ; and in Elles-croft (the field of Ella) ; and that of his son Cissa is found in Chi-chester (Cissan-ceaster, the fortified residence of Cissa) , and in Cis-bury, the city of Cissa. Cerdic is remembered in Char-ford (Cerdic’s-ford) , and in Chears-ley (Cerdic’s-meadow) . Bebba, the Queen of Ida, has left her name in Bam-borough (Bebba’s city—Bebban-burg) . ”

“ Thus we find the Billingas at Billing-ham in Durham, at Billing-ley in Yorkshire, at Billing-hay in Lincolnshire, at Billing-ton in the counties of Bedford, Stafford, and Lancaster, as well as at other places, all within the district occupied by the Angles. We find a settlement of the same family at Billing-hurst, in Sussex, and some of them appear to have established themselves in the outskirts of London, and to have given name to Billings-gate. ”

“ Hat, Had, Heath (Anglo-Saxon) , field; Heide, (German) .—Hat-field, Hat-cliffe, Hather-leigh, Hath-ern, Hather-op, Hat-ton, Heden-ham, Had-ley, Hether-set, Hethers-gill, Het-ton, Hide, Hadden-ham, Had-don, Had-leigh, Had-low, Had-nall-ease, Had-stock, Pook-hyde, Hoath-ley, Heidel-berg, Heiden-heim, Heide. ”

“ Lamb-hurst, Lamber-hurst, Lamb-ton, Lam-brook, &c.
We find the Scandinavian forms for Sheep (Saudr and Faar) , in
Souter-fell, Souden-hill, the sheep’s hill; Far-leigh, Fars-ley, the sheep’s meadow; Fair-field, the sheep’s field; Souter-gate, the sheep’s street; Fair-ford, the sheep’s ford; Fair-leigh, the sheep’s meadow; Far-a, Far-oe, the sheep’s island.
Sow (Sugu) may be traced in
Sug-ley, the sow’s meadow; So-ham, Suers-ham, the sow’s home; Sug-gate, the sow’s street; Sower-by, the sow’s town. ”

“ Wednes-bury and Wan-borough (Odin’s-city) ; Wednes-field (Odin’s-field) ; Wam-pool (Odin’s-pool) ; Wam-brook (Odin’s-brook) ; Won-stone (Odin’s-stone) ; Wans-ford (Odin’s-ford) ; Wans-beck (Odin’s-rivulet) ; Wan-stead (Odin’s-residence) ; Wens-ley-fold (Odin’s-meadow-enclosure) ; Wans-dike (Odin’s-ditch) ; Odin’s-wald (Odin’s-forest) ; Oden-se (Odin’s-lake.) The name of his wife, Frigga, Frea, or Freyja, occurs in Freys-torp, in Friday-thorpe, and Frais-thorpe (Frigga’s-city.) We are reminded of Thor by such places as Thor-up and Thors-torp (Thor’s-city) ; Thors-dal and Turs-dale (Thor’s-vale) ”

“ Been-ham, bean home; Bine-gar, bean enclosure; Bin-don, bean hill; Bin-field, bean field.
The Oat occurs in Oad-by, Ot-ley, and Oat-land.
The Scandinavian Haver (oats) gives names to Haver-ham, Haver-ford, and Haver-thwaite.
The Slow is easily seen in Slow-burn and Slow-combe.
Haw-ley and Haw-don derive their name from the haw; Apse, Asp-ley, and Asp-don from the asp (aps) .
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Wheat appears in Whit-field, Wheat-ley, Wheat-hamp-stead, Wheat-on, Whate-ly, and Whit-barrow.
Shrop-ham, Shrop-shire, Scrop-ton, Scrop-ley-hill, Scrap-loft, and Scrobb are derived from Scrybe, a shrub ”

“ Car (Anglo-Saxon) , a plain.—Car-ham, Car-stairs.
Chin, Chine (Anglo-Saxon) , a cleft, hollow.—Chin-ley-churn, Crow-chine, &c.
Cup (Anglo-Saxon) , a hollow.—Bu-cup, Cub-ley, &c.
Croft (Scandinavian) , a small field.—Craw-ton, Wey-croft, Croft Farm, Sander-croft, Haver-croft, Crof-ton, Cox-croft, and Wivels-croft. In France the same root is found under the form Crottes.
Comb (Anglo-Saxon) , a valley or low piece of ground, a space between two hills.—Combe, Brans-combe, Bor-combe, Clo-combe, Gat-combe, Sted-combe, Comp-ton.
Dal (Scandinavian) , a valley (from Dala, to depress) ”

“ Furn-ham, Farn-ham, fern home; Fern-ton, fern town; Farns-ley, fern meadow; Farn-borough, fern city.
The Furze (Fyrs) , Whin, Scandinavian, occurs in
Whin-berg, Whin-fell, Whin-brig-dale; Whinn-ey-nab, Furz-leigh, the furzy meadow; Furz-brook, the furzy brook; Furz-moor-gate, the furzy moor-street.
Flax (Lin) appears in
Lin-gards, flax enclosure; Lin-thwaite, flax path; Lin-ton, flax town; Lin-dale, flax vale.
Grass (Gaers, and Sprot) is found in
Years-ley, Grat-ton, Gretn-a, Sprot-ton, Sprat-ton, Sprough-ton, Spros-ton, Gras-mere, grass lake; Gar-grave, grass grove ”

“ The Ash (Aesc) occurs in
Ash-stead, ash dwelling; As-cot, ash hut; Ash-don, Ashen-don, Ash-down, ash hill; Ash-combe, Es-combe, ash valley; Esh-gill, ash rivulet; Ash-ling, ash heath; Ash-by, Ash-ton, aston, ash town; Ash-well, ash spring; Ash-borne, ash stream; As-hurst, ash thicket; Ash-fold, ash enclosure.
The Scandinavian form occurs in
Ask-rigg, ash ridge; Ask-ern, ash dwelling; Asker-sund, ash sound; Ask-han, Ask-heim, ash home. ”

“ Efes, Eves (Anglo Saxon) , the bank of a river, a border, edge of a mountain.—Eaves-ham, Habergham-eaves, Eves-batch, Eves-knoll.
Elf (Scandinavian) , a river.—Elfs-burg, Elfs-nabben, Kong-elf, Elf-karle-by, Elbe, Alb, &c.
Fiord (Danish) , Fiorth (Old Norsk) , Firth (Scotch) , an inlet of the sea, a bay, a station for ships.—Firth of Forth, Firth of Tay. (Frith is a mis-spelling for Firth.)
The Ford in Mil-ford, Haver-ford, Water-ford, is not to be confounded with Ford, a passage, but is another form of the Scandinavian Fiord, in Kieler-fiord, Ecken-fiord, Laxe-fiord, &c. ”

“ Aller-dale, alder vale; Aller-by, alder town; Alders-haugh, alder hill; Alder-mas-ton, alder marsh town; Alden-ham, alder home; Alder-shot, alder wood; Alli-thwaite, alder path; Aller-ton, Owler-ton, Eller-ton, alder town; Elle-ray, alder corner; Ell-feld, alder field; Ell-bogen, alder bending; Ell-rich, alder district; Ell-wangen, alder meadow; Erl-ach, alder dwelling on the stream; Erl-angen, Erl-au, alder meadow.
The Broom gives name to
Brom-ton, broom town; Brom-borough, broom city; Brom-ley, broom meadow; Brom-yard, broom enclosure; Brom-hurst, broom forest; Broms-wold, broom wood ”

“ Mos-ton, moss town; Mus-borough, moss city; Gil-moss, the rivulet of the moss; Moss-soe, moss lake; Mosen-berg, moss hill; Mos-bach, moss stream.
Sedge appears in
Sedge-moor;, Sedge-ly, sedge meadow; Sedg-barrow, sedge wood.
The Rush is an element in
Rush-ley, rush meadow; Rush-hulme, rush island; Rush-mere, rush marsh; Ris-borough, rush city; Rus-combe, rush valley; Rus-warp, rush mound; Rush-worth, rush farm; Rus-land, Rush-land, rush district.
The Nettle in Nettle-combe, Nettle-den, Nettle-stead, and Nettle-ton.
The Reed gives name to
Reed-ham, reed home; Rid-ley, reed meadow ”

“ The first member is generally prefixed to distinguish places having similar positions—e.g., Staple-ford, Notting-ham, New-ark, &c. Sometimes the names of places are represented by a single word—e.g., Slough, Ford, Holt, Down, Berg, Furt, &c.
All places do not admit of explanation. Those ending with Ing or having after it Ham or Ton, are derived from the names of tribes, families, or individuals. ”