Germanic toponymy

East Germanic

Southern France

The Goths left toponymic traces in France, particularly in the south, however towards Savoy and further north of the Alps it was the Burgundians who also spoke an East Germanic language.

• Escatalens, Gascony, from Skatalo + -ing
• Tonneins (Tonnencs 1197; Tonninge 1253), Gascony, from Tunno + -ing

Spain

Iberia was mostly occupied by the Visigothic Kingdom from the 5th to the 8th century, in which the ruling classes spoke the East Germanic language Gothic. A limited number of Germanic-derived place-names survive in Spain. Examples include:

• Berja, Andalusia, from berg ("mountain").
• Bormujos, Andalusia, from Gothic bormo-ios ("hot waters").
• Broto, Aragon, from Gothic brud ("bud shoots").
• Burgos, Castile and León, from Gothic baurgs ("barricade of wagos").
• Guardo, Castile and León, from wardjon ("watch-point").
• Lobio, Galicia, from Gothic lubja ("vine bower").

North Germanic

Denmark

Proto-Norse is documented in Denmark as far back as 400 AD. As is general in Scandinavian countries, Denmark's toponymy is characterised by uniformity, as the country did not experience language changes during the period in which the names were given; thus the languages that gave rise to the oldest names, Proto-Germanic and Proto-Nordic, are the direct precursors of the languages Old Norse and Old Danish in which the later names were coined.

Norway

The vast majority of place-names in Norway were coined in the North Germanic language Norwegian. Several place-name formations occur repeatedly throughout Norway.

• Gullhaug, Akershus
• Gullhaug, Vestfold

From gull ("gold") + haug ("mound").

• Hovden, Agder
• Hovden, Nordland
• Hovden, Vestland

From hovud ("head, steep cliff").

• Stormyra, Akershus
• Stormyra, Bodø
• Stormyra, Troms

From stor ("big, large") + myr ("bog, mire"). Stormyra is most common place-name formation in Norway.

• Tveit (Åmli), Agder
• Tveit (Bygland), Agder

From tveit ("clearing") (cf. thwaite)

Republic of Ireland

• Leixlip, County Kildare, from Old Norse laxhlaupr ("salmon's leap").
• Wexford, County Wexford, from Old Norse Veisafjǫrðr ("fjord/inlet of the mudlats").

Russia

• Russia itself, from Medieval Latin Russi ("the people of Russia"), ultimately from Old Norse roðr ("steering oar").
• Suzdal, Vladimir Oblast, possibly derived from (Merya *SōrjoGi ("gravel river") +) Old Norse dalr ("dale, valley").
• Trongzund, Leningrad Oblast (settlement renamed Vysotsk) from trång ("narrow") + sund ("strait) (cf. Trångsund, Sweden).
• Vyborg, Leningrad Oblast, from Old Swedish, Old East Norse véborg ("holy fort") (cf. Viborg, Denmark).

Normandy

The Duchy of Normandy in modern-day France had its roots in the early 10th century, when the Scandinavian Viking leader Rollo became a vassal of the King of the West Franks, Charles III and, in exchange for homage, acquired territory on the lower Seine. The area was subject to significant Scandinavian settlement. One legacy of such settlement is a body of place-names derived from the North Germanic language Old Norse. Such names include:

• Carquebut, La Manche, from Old Norse kirkju-bȳr ("church farm").
• Clitourps, La Manche, from Old Norse klif-torp ("cliff farm") (cf. Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire)
• Dieppe, Seine-Maritime, from djupr ("deep") + á ("river").
• Dieppedalle, Seine-Maritime
• Saint-Vaast-Dieppedalle, Seine-Maritime

Both from Old Norse djuprdalr ("deep valley") (cf. Deepdale, Yorks, England).

• Ectot, Eure
• Ectot, Seine-Maritime
• Ectot-l'Auber, Seine-Maritime
• Ectot-les-Baons, Seine-Maritime

All from Old Norse eski ("ash tree") + toft ("rural estate").

• Lengronne, La Manche, from Old Norse lyngr ("heath") + grund ("gravely expanse").
• Oudalle, Seine-Maritime, from Old Norse ulfr ("wolf") (or a personal name derived from it) + dalr ("valley") (cf. Uldale, Cumb., England).
• Le Thuit-Anger, Eure
• Thuit-Hébert, Eure
• Le Thuit-Signol, Eure
• Le Thuit-Simer, Eure

All from Old Norse þveit ("clearing") (cf. -thwaite).

• Torp, Calvados
• Le Torpt, Eure
• Le Tourps, Manche

From Old Norse torp ("farm").

• Tostes, Eure
• Tôtes, Siene-Maritime

Both from Old Norse toft ("rural estate, dwelling").

United Kingdom

England

In the 9th and 10th centuries, some parts of Northern, Midland and Eastern England formed a part of the Danelaw, an area of England which formed a confederacy under the Kingdom of Denmark and was subject to Scandinavian settlement. As a result, place-names containing North Germanic elements are common in much of the former Danelaw, especially in Lancashire, Yorkshire and the East Midland counties such as Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. North Germanic toponyms are also common in neighbouring parts of Durham, and in other areas of Norse influence, such as Cumberland and the Wirral Peninsula in Cheshire. The commonest Scandinavian place-name element in England is bȳr (-by) meaning "farm", with particular concentrations of the element in northern Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, the Norfolk Broads and around Liverpool Bay. North Germanic place-names are rare in the West Midlands and most of southern England. Notable examples include:

• Byker, Northumberland, from Old Norse bȳr-kjarr ("farm marsh").
• Derby, Derbyshire, from Old Norse djúr-bȳr ("deer farm").
• Garstang, Lancashire, from Old Norse geirr-stǫng ("spear post").
• Gartree, Northamptonshire, from Old Norse geiri-tré ("tree on a triangual piece of land").
• Kirby Bellars, Leicestershire
• Kirby Cane, Norfolk
• Kirby-le-Soken, Essex
• Monks Kirby, Warwickshire

All from Old Norse kirkju-bȳr ("church farm").

• Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
• Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland
• Kirkby Thore, Westmorland

As with the "Kirby" group, all from kirkju-bȳr ("church farm").

• Leagram, Lancashire, from Old Norse leið-gríma ("trail blaze").
• Leake, Nottinghamshire, from Old Norse lœ´kr ("brook").
• Lowestoft, Suffolk, from Old Norse Hlothvers-toft ("Hlothver's plot").
• Sadberge, County Durham, from Old Norse setberg ("flat-topped hill").
• Scarborough, Yorkshire, from Old Norse Skarthiborg ("Skarthi's fort").
• Scole, Norfolk, from Old Norse skáli ("shielings").
• Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, from Old Norse Skuma-þorp ("Skuma's outlying settlement").
• St Agnes, Cornwall, from hagi-nes ("pasture headland").
• Swinscoe, Staffordshire, from Old Norse svín-skógr ("swine wood").
• Swithland, Leicestershire, from Old Norse sviðinn-lundr ("grove cleared by burning").
• Thingwall, Cheshire, from Old Norse þing-vǫllr ("assembly field").
• Ulleskelf, Yorkshire, from Old Norse Ulfr-skelf ("Ulfr's shelf").
• Wing, Rutland, from Old Norse vengi.
• Witherslack, Westmorland, from Old Norse víðir-slakki ("wither (shallow) valley").
• Wreay, Cumberland, from Old Norse vrá ("nook").

Scotland

Place-names derived from the North Germanic language Old Norse have been established in Scotland since around the 9th century. There is a plurality of such names in Orkney and Shetland as these remained a part of the Kingdom of Norway until the 15th century, and the Norse daughter language Norn remained in use there until c. 1850. Norse toponyms are also frequent in the Hebrides, the Highlands and south-west Scotland, but are uncommon in most other regions. Norse place-names in Scotland include:

• Canonbie, Dumfriesshire, from Old Norse byr ("farm, village").
• Humbie, East Lothian, from Old Norse Hunda-byr ("Hunda's farm").
• Knoydart, Inverness-shire, from Old Norse Knútafjörðr ("Knut's fjord").
• Laxford, Sutherland, from Old Norse laxafjörðr ("salmon fjord").
• Lynedale, Inverness-shire (Skye), from Old Norse lín-dalr ("flax valley").
• Monkstadt, Inverness-shire (Skye), from Old Norse munkastaðr ("monk place").
• Moorfoot, Midlothian, from Old Norse mór ("moor") + þveit ("clearing").
• Sorbie, Wigtownshire, from saur ("mud") + býr ("farm, village").

Wales

• Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, from Old Norse fiskr-gardr ("fish yard").
• Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, from Old Norse melrfjordr ("sand-band fjord/inlet") (+ haven).
• Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, from Old Norse stokkr-holmr ("island of the sound").
• Swansea, Glamorgan, from Old Norse Sveinnsey ("Svienn's island").

West Germanic

France

France originates with the kingdom Francia of the 5th-9th centuries, which was established by the Germanic Franks. Some place-names in France originate in the Franks' West Germanic language Frankish (and the descendants of that language, Dutch and Flemish), and in other West Germanic languages.

• Achiet, from Germanic askit- ("ash-tree") (cf. Askwith).
• Audresselles, from Germanic sele ("dwelling").
• Bécourt, from Germanic bōku ("beech") + hultą ("wood").
• Broxeele, from broec-sele ("marsh dwelling") (cf. Brussels).
• Guerquesalles, from Germanic sele ("dwelling").
• Houllefort, from Germanic hohlfurt ("hollow ford").
• Rœux, from Germanic ruti ("clearing").
• Volckerinckhove, from Folkharding ("land of Folkhard") + hof ("farm").
• Warhem, from (Germanic personal name +) Frankish heim ("home").
• Warneton, from Germanic Warinas-tuna ("Warin's farm").

There are some place-names with Saxon or Old English etymologies in France (Normandy and Boulonnais), including:

• Vannecrocq, Eure, Old English croft ("piece of land").
• Vicques, Calvados (Wikes 1198; Wiches, undated) similar to Wix (Essex, Wikes in 1191; Wiches 1198) from Saxon or Old English wic "settlement, village" or "dairy farm".
• place-names in -vieu(x) in Bessin, Normandy :
  • Sommervieu (Summerveium) "summer wic"
• place-names in -ham :
  • Ouistreham (Bessin, Ostrehan 1066-1083, Oistreham 1082) similar to Westerham (Kent, Westarham 871 - 889, Oistreham 1086)

Galicia, northern Portugal, western Asturias

The Suevi spoke a West Germanic language: an Elbe Germanic or a Weser–Rhine Germanic language. They left some toponyms and male personal names included or not in the Romance toponyms.

• Calvos de Randín to Randini, genitive of Randinus
• Gomesende to Gumesindi, genitive of Gumesindus
• Rairiz de Veiga to Ragerici, genitive of Ragericus

Germany

Most place-names in Germany are derived from the West Germanic language German.

Italy

Northern Italy was settled in the 6th century AD by the Lombards, whose West Germanic language Lombardic was used in the region until around the 11th century AD. Some places in Italy have names of Lombardic origin, including:

• Bergamo, Lombardy, from Germanic bergheim ("mountain home").
• Valperga, Pietmont, from Lombardic berga ("mountain").

United Kingdom

England

The overwhelming majority of place-names in most parts of England are derived, at least in their present form, from the West Germanic language Old English, after that language became established in Britain during the Anglo-Saxon period (410–1066). For common Old English place-naming elements see the generic forms in place names in the British Isles. Some name-formations and simplexes occur repeatedly, and some prominent place-names have common Old English naming suffixes:

• Birmingham, from Old English Beorma-ingahām ("home of Beorma").
• Bradford, Yorkshire, from Old English brad-ford ("broad ford").
• Bristol, from Old English Bryċġ-stōw ("bridge place").
• Brough, Derbyshire
• Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire
• Brough, Westmorland

All from Old English burh ("fortified place") (cf. German burg).

• Bury, Huntingdonshire
• Bury, Lancashire
• Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

As with the Brough names, from Old English burh ("fortified place").

• Heanor, Derbyshire, from Old English heah-ofer ("high ridge") (cf. Hanover, Germany).
• Preston, Lancashire
• Preston, Rutland
• Preston le Skene, County Durham
• Preston on Stour, Warwickshire
• Preston Patrick, Westmorland

All from Old English preost-tun ("priest farm/settlement").

• Stoke (Hayling Island), Hampshire
• Stoke (St Mary Bourne), Hampshire
• Stoke, Kent
• Stoke on Tern, Shropshire
• Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

All from Old English stoc ("secondary settlement")

• Sunderland, City of Sunderland
• Sunderland, Cumberland
• Sunderland Bridge, County Durham

All from Old English sundor-land ("separate land").

• Warwick, Warwickshire, from Old English Wær-ing-wic ("dwelling of the weir").

Scotland

Many place-names in parts of Scotland are derived from Old English or its descendant languages such as Scots. This is particularly the case in the south-eastern counties of Scotland such as Berwickshire, East Lothian and Roxburghshire, which were part of the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria at its height in the early 8th century. Prominent examples include:

• Edinburgh, Midlothian, from Old English *Edynburg, with burg ("fort, stronghold"), a calque on the Cumbric name Din Eidyn.
• Gretna, Dumfriesshire, from Old English grēoten-hōh ("gravelly hill").
• Prestwick, Ayrshire, from Old English preostwic ("priest's dwelling").
• Wigtown, Wigtownshire, from Old English wigcton ("Wigca's farm").

Furthermore, there are a few place-names in Scotland derived from continental Germanic languages such as Dutch and German, mainly from the early modern period (16th-19th century):

• Friockheim, Angus, German heim added to an existing place-name.
• John O'Groats, Sutherland, from the Dutch personal name Jan De Groot ("John the large").

Wales

Place-names in Wales are overwhelmingly derived from the Celtic language Welsh or its predecessors, but a small number are of Old English origin. Examples include:

• Buckley, Flintshire, from Old English buccleah ("wood/clearing of the bucks").
• Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, from Old English heahfore-ford ("heifer ford") (+ west added later).
• Prestatyn, Denbighshire, from Old English preost-tūn ("homestead of the priest").