From Abbas Combe to Zennor, this dictionary gives the meaning and origin of place names in the British Isles, tracing their development from earliest times to the present day.
Hywel Wyn Owen, a renowned authority on the place-names of Wales, has succeeded in writing a readable and informative guide which brings together most of what is currently known about selected place-names in Wales. The bulk of the book is made up of a dictionary of place-names which provides both the derivation and meaning of the names and a discussion of them. This is preceded by a useful introduction which describes what the study of place-names involves and shows us how these names can reveal fascinating insights into the people, history, communities and language behind them.
Reproduction of the original. The publishing house Megali specialises in reproducing historical works in large print to make reading easier for people with impaired vision.
Place-Names of Glamorgan investigates the historical evidence and meanings of more than 1,100 place-names in the historic county of Glamorgan, stretching from Rhossili to Rumney and Rhoose to Rhigos.
The Place-Names of Wales was originally published in 1998 and reissued in 2005 in the Pocket Guide series. This current updated publication adds some thirty entries, which importantly take into consideration more recent research. The entry for each place-name provides details of historical forms and dates; analyses each name into its component linguistic elements; tracks the later linguistic development of the name and the influences upon it particularly within a bilingual society; compares the name with similar names elsewhere, and interprets that meaning within the history of Wales and in the local context having regard for the landscape and changing land-use. In addition to explaining the link between place-names and language, history and landscape, the introduction includes a section on the significance of place-name study, and a short section to allow non-Welsh speakers to understand some relevant sound-changes.
Take a journey down winding lanes and Roman roads in this witty and informative guide to the meanings behind the names of England's towns and villages. From Celtic farmers to Norman conquerors, right up to the Industrial Revolution, deciphering our place names reveals how generations of our ancestors lived, worked, travelled and worshipped, and how their influence has shaped our landscape. From the most ancient sacred sites to towns that take their names from stories of giants and knights, learn how Roman garrisons became our great cities, and discover how a meeting of the roads could become a thriving market town. Region by region, Caroline Taggart uncovers hidden meanings to reveal a patchwork of tall tales and ancient legends that collectively tells the story of how we made England.
This revised edition of the Dictionary of British Place-Names includes over 17,000 engaging and informative entries, tracing the development of the featured place-names from earliest times to the present day. Included place-names range from the familiar to the obscure, among them 'Beer', 'Findlater', 'Broadbottom', and 'Great Snoring'. The A to Z entries are complemented by a detailed introductory essay discussing the chronology and development of English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish place-names, as well as an extensive bibliography, maps of Britain showing old and new boundaries, and a glossary of common elements in place-names. Also new to this edition is an appendix of recommended web links pointing to relevant online resources, thereby expanding the scope of the dictionary and providing the reader with an opportunity to explore the subject further. Both accessible and up to date, this dictionary is an ideal companion for anybody travelling around the British Isles, as well as for researchers and students with an interest in toponomy, local history, cartography, and lexicography.
Containing entries for more than 45,000 English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Cornish, and immigrant surnames, The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland is the ultimate reference work on family names of the UK. The Dictionary includes every surname that currently has more than 100 bearers. Each entry contains lists of variant spellings of the name, an explanation of its origins (including the etymology), lists of early bearers showing evidence for formation and continuity from the date of formation down to the 19th century, geographical distribution, and, where relevant, genealogical and bibliographical notes, making this a fully comprehensive work on family names. This authoritative guide also includes an introductory essay explaining the historical background, formation, and typology of surnames and a guide to surnames research and family history research. Additional material also includes a list of published and unpublished lists of surnames from the Middle Ages to the present day.