e.g. Eddertoun, Co. Ross (between hills)—v. DUNE; Eddra-chillis, i.e. Eadar da Chaolas (between two firths), Co. Sutherland; Killederdaowen, in Galway, i.e. Coill-eder-da-abhainn (the wood between two rivers); and Killadrown, King’s County, with the same meaning; Cloonederowen, Galway (the meadow between two rivers); Ballydarown (the townland between two rivers). In France: Entre-deux-mers (between two seas); Entrevaux (between valleys); Entre-rios (between streams), in Spain; Entre-Douro-e-Minho (between these rivers), in Portugal; Interlacken (between lakes), in Switzerland.
a church. These and synonymous words in the Romance languages are derived from Lat. ecclesia, and that from the Grk. ὲκκλησια (an assembly); e.g. Eccles, a parish and suburb of Manchester, also the name of two parishes in Berwickshire; Eccleshall, in Staffordshire, so called because the bishops of Lichfield formerly had a palace there; Eccleshill (church hill), in Yorkshire; Eccleston (church town), in Lancashire; Ecclesmachan (the church of St. Machan), in Linlithgow; Eaglesham (the hamlet at the church), Co. Renfrew; Ecclescraig or Ecclesgrieg (the church of St. Gregory or Grig), in Kincardine; Eglishcormick (St. Cormac’s church), Dumfries; Ecclescyrus (of St. Cyrus), in Fife; Lesmahago, Co. Lanark, corrupt. from Ecclesia-Machuti (the church of St. Machute, who is said to have settled there in the sixth century); Carluke, in Lanarkshire, corrupt. from Eccles-maol-Luke (the church of the servant of St. Luke); Terregles, anc. Traver-eglys (church lands), Gael. treabhair (houses), in Kirkcudbright. In Wales: Eglwys Fair (St. Mary’s church); Hen-eglwys (old church); Aglish and Eglish (the church), the names of parishes in Ireland; Aglishcloghone (the church of the stepping-stones); Iglesuela (little church), in Spain; Fèhér eghaz (white church), in Hungary. In France: Eglise-aux-bois (the church in the woods); Eglise neuve (new church); Eglisolles, Eliçaberry, and Eliçaberria (the church in the plain). Such names as Aylesford, Aylsworth, Aylesby, etc., may be derived from eglwys or ecclesia, corrupted.
a waterfall; e.g. the R. Ness and Loch Ness (i.e. the river and lake of the Fall of Foyers); Essnambroc (the waterfall of the badger); Essmore (the great waterfall); Doonass (i.e. Irish Dun easa (the fort of the cataract), on the Shannon; Caherass, in Limerick, with the same meaning; Pollanass (the pool of the waterfall); Fetteresso, in Kincardine (the uncultivated land, fiadhair, near the waterfall); Edessa, in Turkey, seems to derive its name from the same root, as its Sclavonic name is Vodena, with the same meaning; Edessa, in Mesopotamia, is on the R. Daisan; Portessie (the port of the waterfall), Banff.
a plain; e.g. Ebenried and Ebenrinth (the cleared plain); Ebnit (on the plain); Breite-Ebnit (broad plain); Holzeben (woody plain).
a nook or corner; e.g. Schönegg (beautiful nook); Eckdorf (corner village); Eggberg (corner hill); Reinecke (the Rhine corner); Randecke (the corner of the point, rand); Vilseek (at the corner of the R. Vils); Wendecken (the corner of the Wends or Sclaves); Edgcott (the corner hut); Wantage, Co. Berks (Wanta’s corner), on the edge of a stream; Stevenage, Co. Herts (Stephen’s corner); Gourock (the goal’s corner); Landeck, in the Tyrol (at the meeting or corner of three roads); Nigg, Gael. N-uig (at the corner), a parish in Co. Kincardine, and also in Ross and Cromarty; Haideck (heath corner), in Bavaria.
the alder-tree; e.g. the R. Eger with the town of the same name.
an island, cognate with the Lat. insula. The Gaelic word is generally applied to smaller islands than innis; e.g. Eilean-sgiathach or Skye (the winged island); Eilean-dunan (the isle of the small fort); Eilean-na-goibhre (of the goats); Eilean-na-monach (of the monks); Eilean-na-Clearach (of the clergy); Eilean-na-naoimbh (of the saints), often applied to Ireland; Eilean-nam-Muchad or Muck (the island of pigs), in the Hebrides; Flannan, in the Hebrides, i.e. Eilean-an-Flannan (of St. Flannan); Groote Eylandt (great island), off the coast of Australia; Rhode Island, in the United States, Dutch (red island), or, according to another interpretation, so named from its fancied resemblance in form to the island of Rhodes.
iron; e.g. Eisenstadt (iron town); Eisenach, in Germany (on a river impregnated with iron); Eisenberg (iron hill fort), in Germany; Eisenburg (iron town), Hung. Vasvar, in Hungary; Eisenirz (iron ore), on the Erzberg Mountains; Eisenschmidt (iron forge), in Prussia.
a river; e.g. Alf, Alb, Elbe, Elben, river names; Laagenelv (the river in the hollow); Dol-elf (valley river); Elbing, a town on a river of the same name.
an assembly of people, such as were held in old times by the Irish at the burial mounds, and in modern times applied to a cattle fair; e.g. Nenagh, in Tipperary, anc. ’n-Ænach-Urmhumhan (the assembly meeting-place of Ormund), the definite article n having been added to the name—this place is still celebrated for its great fairs; Ballinenagh, Ballineanig, Ballynenagh (the town of the fair); Ardanlanig (the height of the fair); Monaster-an-enagh (the monastery at the place of meeting). But this word is not to be confounded with eanach (a watery place or marsh), found under such forms as enagh and annagh, especially in Ulster. Thus Annabella, near Mallow, is in Irish Eanachbile (the marsh of the old tree); Annaghaskin (the marsh of the eels).
the end or corner; Ostend, in Belgium (at the west end of the canal opening into the ocean); Ostend, in Essex (at the east end of the land); Oberende (upper end); Süderende (the south corner); Endfelden (the corner of the field), probably Enfield, near London. Purmerend (at the end of the Purmer), a lake in Holland, now drained.
narrow; e.g. Engberg (narrow hill); Engbrück (narrow bridge); Engkuizen (the narrow houses).
an inheritance or property; e.g. Erbstellen (the place of the inheritance, or the inherited property); Erbhof (the inherited mansion-house); Sechserben (the property or inheritance of the Saxons).
cultivated land; e.g. Rotherde (red land); Schwarzenerde (black land).
the alder-tree; e.g. Erla and Erlabeka (alder-tree stream); Erlangen (the dwelling near alder-trees); Erlau, a town in Hungary, on the Erlau (alder-tree river).
a river; e.g. Kizel-Ermack (red river); Jekil-Ermak (green river).
a common or sowed field; e.g. Summeresche, Winteresche (the field sown in summer and winter); Brachesche (the field broken up for tillage); Kaiseresche (the emperor’s common). For this word as an affix, v. p. 5; as a prefix it signifies the ash-tree, as in the Aschaff or ash-tree river; Aschaffenberg (the fortress on the Aschaff); Eschach (ash-tree stream); Escheweiller (ash-tree town); Eschau (ash-tree meadow).
a long ridge; e.g. Esgair-hir (the long ridge); Esgair-yn-eira (the snow ridge).
old; e.g. Eski-djuma (old ditch).
the poplar-tree; e.g. Aspach (a place abounding in poplars, or the poplar-tree stream); Espenfield (the field of poplars); Aspenstadt (the station of poplars)—v. AESP, p. 5.
a marsh or salt creek; e.g. Estero-Santiago (St. James’s marsh); Los-Esteros (the salt creeks), in South America.
a district, with the same meaning as the Cel. tan, Latinised tania; e.g. Aquitania (the district of the waters); Mauritania (of the Moors); Lusitania (the ancient name of Portugal). This root-word enters into the name of Britain, according to Taylor—v. Words and Places.
the forehead—in topography, the front or brow of a hill; e.g. Edenderry (the hill-brow of the oak-wood); Edenkelly (the front of the wood); Ednashanlaght (the hill-brow of the old sepulchre); Edenmore (the great hill-brow); Edina (one of the ancient names of Edinburgh).
a margin; e.g. Evedon (on the brink of the hill); Evesbatch (the brink of the brook); Evesham (the dwelling on the bank of the River Avon, in Worcester, or the dwelling of Eoves, a shepherd, afterwards made Bishop of Worcester).
a beech-tree; Fagetum, a place planted with beeches; e.g. La Fage, Le Faget, Fayet, Les Faus, Faumont, in France.
a way or passage—from fahren, to go; e.g. Fahrenhorst (the passage at the wood); Fahrenbach, Fahrwasser (the passage over the water); Fahrwangen (the field at the ferry); Rheinfahr (the passage over the Rhine); Langefahr (long ferry); Niederfahr (lower ferry); Vere or Campvere, in Holland (the ferry leading to Kampen); Ferryby (the town of the Ferry), in Yorkshire; Broughty-Ferry, in Fife (the ferry near a brough or castle, the ruins of which still remain); Ferry-Port-on-Craig (the landing-place on the rock, opposite Broughty-Ferry); Queensferry, West Lothian, named from Queen Margaret; Connal-Ferry (the ferry of the raging flood), confhath-tuil, in Argyleshire; Fareham, Co. Hants (the dwelling at the ferry).
a village; e.g. Uj-falu (new village); Olah-falu (the village of the Wallachians or Wallochs, a name which the Germans applied to the Sclaves); Hanus-falva (John’s village); Ebes-falva (Elizabeth’s village), Ger. Elizabeth-stadt; Szombat-falva (the village at which the Saturday market was held); Balars-falva (the village of Blaise); Bud-falva (the village of Buda).
a temple; e.g. Fano, in Italy, anc. Fanum-Fortunæ (the temple of fortune), built here by the Romans to commemorate the defeat of Asdrubal on the Metaurus; Famars, anc. Fanum-Martis (the temple of Mars); Fanjeaux, anc. Fanum-Jovis (of Jove); St. Dié, anc. Fanum-Deodati (the temple of Deodatus, Bishop of Nevers); St. Dezier, anc. Fanum-Desiderii (the temple of St. Desiderius); Florent-le-Vieul, anc. Fanum-Florentii (of St. Florentius); St. Flour, Fanum-Flori (of St. Florus).
a sheep. This word seems to have given names to several places in the north of Scotland, as affording good pasture for sheep; e.g. Farr, a parish in Sutherlandshire); Farra, Faray, islands in the Hebrides and Orkneys; Fare, a hill in Aberdeenshire.
the alder-tree; e.g. Fernagh, Farnagh, and Ferney (a place abounding in alder-trees), in Ireland; Glenfarne (alder-tree valley); Ferns, Co. Wexford, anc. Fearna (the place of alders); Gortnavern (the field of alders); Farney, Co. Monaghan, corrupt. from Fearn-mhagh (alder-tree plain); Altanfearn (the little stream of alders); Sronfearn (the point of alders)—v. p. 178; Fearns (the alder-trees), in Ross-shire; Fearn, also in Forfar; Ferney, on the Lake of Geneva, probably with same meaning as Ferney in Ireland.
white; Szekes-Fehervar, Ger. Stulweissenburg (the throne of the white fortress).
black; e.g. Fekete-halam (black hill).
upper, in opposition to al, lower; e.g. Felsovaros (upper town); Alvaros (lower town).
a plain or field; lit. a place where trees had been felled; e.g. Feldham (field dwelling); Feldberg (field fortress); Bassevelde, in Belgium (low plain); Gurkfeld (cucumber field); Leckfeld, Rhinfeld (the plain of the Rivers Leck and Rhine); Great Driffield, in Yorkshire (dry field); Huddersfield, in Doomsday Oderesfeld, from a personal name; Macclesfield (the field of St. Michael’s church); Sheffield, on the R. Sheaf; Mansfield, on the R. Mann; Lichfield, Co. Stafford (the field of corpses), A.S. Licenfelt, where, according to tradition, a great slaughter of the Christians took place in the reign of Diocletian; Wakefield (the field by the wayside, waeg); Spitalfields, (i.e. the fields near the hospital or place of entertainment), Lat. hospitalium. There is a watering-place near Berwick called Spital, also a suburb of Aberdeen called the Spital; Smithfield, in London, is a corruption of Smethfield (smooth field); Beaconsfield, Berks, so called from having been built on a height on which beacon fires were formerly lighted); Coilsfield, in Ayrshire (the field of Coilus or King Coil). There is a large mound near it said to mark the site of his grave.
a high mountain or mountain range; e.g. Dovrefeld (the gloomy mountains); Donnersfeld (the mountain range of thunder or of Thor); Snafel, Iceland, and Sneefell, in the Isle of Man (snow mountain); Blaefell (blue mountain); Drachenfells (the dragon’s rock); Weissenfels (the white rock); Rothenfels (red rock); Scawfell (the mountain of the scaw or promontory); Hartfell (of harts); Hestfell (of the steed); Lindenfels (of the linden-tree); Lichtenfels (the mountain of light), a Moravian settlement in Greenland; Fitful Head, corrupt. from fitfioll (the hill with the promontory running into the sea), Old Norse fit—in Shetland; Falaise, in France, a promontory, derived from the Ger. fell; Fellentin (the fort, dun, on the rock), in France; Souter-fell, Cumberland; Saudfjeld, Norway; Saudafell, in Iceland (sheep hill), from Old Norse sauder, a sheep; perhaps Soutra Hill, in Mid-Lothian, may come from the same word; Criffel (the craggy rock), Dumfries; Felza, Felsbach (rocky stream), in France; Felsberg (rock fortress), in Germany; Goat-fell, in Arran, Gael. Gaoth-ceann (the windy point), to which the Norsemen added their fell.
a marsh; e.g. the Fenns or marshy lands; Fen-ditton (the enclosed town on the marsh); Fenny-Stratford (the ford on the Roman road, strat, in the marshy land); Fenwick, Fenton, Finsbury (the town or enclosed place on the marsh); Venloo, in Belgium (the place in the marsh); Veenhof, Veenhusen (dwellings in the marsh); Houtveen (woody marsh); Diepenveen (deep marsh); Zutphen, in Holland (the south marsh); Ravenna, in Italy, called Pludosa (the marshy). It was originally built in a lagoon, on stakes, like Venice; Venice, named from the Veneti, probably marsh dwellers; Vannes, in France, and La Vendée, may be from the same word, although others derive the names from venna (a fisherman), others from gwent, Cel. (the fair plain); Finland (the land of marshes). The natives call themselves Suomilius, from suoma (a marsh). Fang in German and Dutch names, and faing in French names, are sometimes used instead of fenn—as in Zeefang (lake marsh); Aalfang (eel marsh); Habechtsfang (hawk’s marsh); Faing-du-buisson, Dom-faing, etc., in the valleys of the Vosges.
the fern; e.g. Ferndorf, Farndon, Farnham, Farnborough (dwellings among ferns); Farnhurst (fern thicket); Ferndale (fern valley); Farringdon (fern hill); Fernruit (a place cleared of ferns).
a grave or trench; e.g. Farta, Ferta, and Fartha (i.e. the graves); Fertagh and Fartagh (the place of graves); Moyarta, in Clare, Irish Magh-fherta (the field of the graves); Fortingall, in Perthshire, is supposed to have derived its name from this word, Feart-na-gall (the grave of the strangers), having been the scene of many bloody battles.
contracted from the French La fermeté, from the Lat. firmitas (strength), applied in topography to a stronghold; e.g. La Ferté Bernardi (Bernard’s stronghold); Ferté-freshal, from Firmitas Fraxinelli (the stronghold of little ash-trees); La Ferté, in Nièvre and in Jura, etc.
a fortress; e.g. Altefeste (high fortress); Franzenfeste (the fortress of the Franks); Festenburg (the town of the fortress); Ivanich-festung (John’s fortress), in Croatia.
moist, marshy; e.g. Feuchtwang (the marshy field), in Bavaria, formerly called Hudropolis, in Greek, with the same meaning; Feucht (the damp place), also in Bavaria; Viecht-gross and Viecht-klein (the great and little damp place), in Bavaria.
beans, Lat. faba, from which come such places in France as La Favière, Favières, Faverage, Favray, Faverelles, etc.
the pine-tree; e.g. Schoenfichten (the beautiful pine-trees); Finsterfechten (the dark pine-trees); Fichthorst (pine-wood); Feichheim (a dwelling among pines). In topography, however, it is difficult to distinguish this word from feucht (damp).
fair, white, Welsh gwynn; e.g. Findrum (white ridge); Fionn-uisge (the clear water). The Phœnix Park, in Dublin, was so called from a beautiful spring well on the grounds; Findlater (the fair slope, leiter); Fingart (fair field); Finnow, Finnan, and Finglass (fair stream); Finglen (fair glen); Knockfin (fair hill); Loch Fyne (clear or beautiful lake); Fintray, in Aberdeenshire; Fintry, in Stirling (fair strand, traigh); Ventry, Co. Kerry, i.e. Fionn-traigh (fair strand); Finnow (the fair stream).
a creek or inlet formed by an arm of the sea, Anglicised ford, or in Scotland firth; e.g. Selfiord (herring creek); Laxfiord (salmon creek); Hvalfiord (whale creek); Lymefiord (muddy creek); Skagafiord (the inlet of the promontory, skagi); Halsfiord (the bay of the neck or hals, i.e. the narrow passage); Waterford, named by the Danes Vadre-fiord (the fordable part of the bay)—the Irish name of the town was Port-lairge (the port of the thigh), from its form; Wexford (the western creek or inlet), also named by the Danes Flekkefiord (the flat inlet)—its Irish name was Inverslanie (at the mouth of the Slaney); Strangford Lough (i.e. the loch of the strong fiord); Carlingford, in Irish Caerlinn, the fiord having been added by the Danes; Vaeringefiord, in Norway (the inlet of the Varangians or Warings); Breidafiord (broad inlet), in Ireland; Haverford, probably from Scand. havre (oats).
a spot or level place, hence a hamlet; e.g. Flegg, East and West, in Norfolk; Fleckney (the flat island); Fletton (flat town); Pfaffenfleck (the priest’s hamlet); Amtsfleck (the amptman’s hamlet); Schœnfleck (beautiful hamlet); Marktflecten (the market village); Fladda, Flatholme, Fleckeroe (flat island); Fladstrand (flat strand).
a flush of water, a channel or arm of the sea on which vessels may float; e.g. Fleet (a river name), in Kirkcudbright; Fleet Loch; Swinefleet (Sweyn’s channel); Saltfleetby (the dwelling on the salt water channel); Shalfleet (shallow channel); Depenfleth (deep channel); Adlingfleet (the channel of the Atheling or noble); Ebbfleet, a place which was a port in the twelfth century, but is now half a mile from the shore; Purfleet, Co. Essex, anc. Pourteflete (the channel of the port); Fleetwood (the wood on the channel of the R. Wyre); Mühlfloss (mill channel); Flushing, in Holland, corrupt. from Vliessengen (the town on the channel of the R. Scheldt). In Normandy this kind of channel takes the form of fleur, e.g. Barfleur (the summit or projection on the channel); Harfleur or Havrefleur (the harbour on the channel); Biervliet (the fruitful plain on the channel). Flad as a prefix sometimes signifies a place liable to be flooded, as Fladbury, Fledborough. The Lat. flumen (a flowing stream) is akin to these words, along with its derivations in the Romance languages: thus Fiume (on the river), a seaport in Croatia, at the mouth of the R. Fiumara; Fiumicina, a small seaport at the north mouth of the Tiber; Fiume-freddo (the cold stream), in Italy and Sicily; Flims, in Switzerland, Lat. Ad-flumina (at the streams); Fiume-della Fine, near Leghorn, is a corrupt. of its ancient name, Ad-Fines (the river at the boundary).
land; e.g. Földvar (land fortress); Alfold (low land); Felföld (high land); Szekel-föld (the land of the Szeklers); Havasel-föld (the land beyond the mountains), which is the Hungarian name for Wallachia.
a fountain, a well; e.g. Fontainebleau, corrupt. from Fontaine-de-belle-eau (the spring of beautiful water); Fontenoy (the place of the fountain); Fontenay (the place of the fountain); Les Fontaines, Fontanas (the fountains); Fontenelles (the little fountains); Fontevrault, Lat. Fons-Ebraldi (the well of St. Evrault); Fuente (the fountain), the name of several towns in Spain; Fuencaliente (the warm fountain); Fuensagrada (holy well); Fuente-el-fresna (of the ash-tree); Fuente-alamo (of the poplar); Fontarabia, Span. Fuentarrabia, corrupt. from the Lat. Fons-rapidans (the swift-flowing spring); Fuenfrido (cold fountain); Fossano, in Italy, Lat. Fons-sanus (the healing fountain); Hontanas, Hontanares, Hontananza, Hontangas (the place of springs), in Spain; Hontomin (the fountain of the R. Omino), in Spain; Pinos-fuente (pine-tree fountain), in Granada; Saint-fontaine, in Belgium, corrupt. from Terra-de-centum fontanis (the land of the hundred springs); Spa, in Belgium, corrupt. from Espa (the fountain)—its Latin name was Fons-Tungrorum (the well of the Tungri); Fonthill (the hill of the spring). The town of Spalding, Co. Lincoln, is said to have derived its name from a spa of mineral water in the market-place. The Celtic uaran or fuaran takes the form of oran in Ireland: thus Oranmore (the great fountain near a holy well); Knock-an-oran (the hill of the well); Ballynoran (the town of the well); Tinoran, corrupt. from Tigh-an-uarain (the dwelling at the well); Foveran, in Aberdeenshire, took its name from a spring, fuaran, at Foveran Castle; Ffynon-Bed (St. Peter’s well), in Wales.
a shallow passage over a river; e.g. Bradford (the broad ford), in Yorkshire, on the R. Aire; Bedford, Bedican ford (the protected ford), on the Ouse; Brentford, on the R. Brenta; Chelmsford, on the Chelmer; Camelford, on the Camel; Charford (the ford of Ceredic); Aylesford (of Ægle); Hacford and Hackfurth (of Haco); Guildford (of the guilds or trading associations); Hungerford, corrupt. from Ingle ford (corner ford); Oxford, Welsh Rhyd-ychen (ford for oxen); Ochsenfurt, in Bavaria, and probably the Bosphorus, with the same meaning; Hertford (the hart’s ford); Hereford (the ford of the army), or more probably a mistranslation of its Celtic name, Caer-ffawydd (the town of the beech-trees); Horsford, Illford, and Knutsford (the fords of Horsa, Ella, and Canute). Canute had crossed this ford before gaining a great battle; Watford (the ford on Watling Street); Milford, the translation of Rhyd-y-milwr (the ford of the Milwr), a small brook that flows into the haven; Haverford West—v. HAVN—the Welsh name is Hwlfford (the sailing way, fford), so called because the tide comes up to the town; Tiverton, anc. Twyford (the town on the two fords); Stamford, A.S. Stanford (stony ford), on the Welland; Stoney Stratford (the stony ford on the Roman road); Stafford, anc. Statford (the ford at the station, or a ford crossed by staffs or stilts); Crayford, on the R. Cray; but Crawford, in Lanarkshire, is corrupt. from Caerford (castle ford); Wallingford, anc. Gual-hen, Latinised Gallena (the old fort at the ford); Thetford, anc. Theodford (the people’s ford), on the R. Thet; Dartford, on the R. Darent; Bideford, in Devonshire (by the ford); Furth and Pforten (the fords), in Prussia; Erfurt, in Saxony, anc. Erpisford (the ford of Erpe); Hohenfurth (the high ford), Bohemia; Frankfort, on the Maine and on the Oder (the ford of the Franks); Quernfurt and Velvorde (the fords of the Rivers Quern and Wolowe); Steenvoord (stony ford); Verden, in Hanover (at the ford of the R. Aller).
a waterfall; e.g. High-force, Low-force, on the R. Tees; Skogar-foss (the waterfall on the promontory), in Ireland; Wilberforce, in Yorkshire (the cascade of Wilbera); Sodorfors (the south cascade), in Sweden; Foston (the town of the waterfall).
a wood; e.g. Forst-lohn (the path through the wood); Forst-bach (forest brook); Eichenforst (oak forest); Forstheim (forest dwelling).
a stronghold; from the Lat. fortis, strong—akin to the Irish Longphorth (a fortress), and the French La Ferté, abridged from fermeté—v. p. 79; e.g. Rochefort (the rock fortress); Fort Augustus, named after the Duke of Cumberland; Fort-George (after George II.); Fort-William, anc. Inverlochy (at the mouth of the lake), and surnamed after William III.; Fortrose (the fortress on the promontory); Fort-Louis, in Upper Rhine, founded and named by Louis XIV.; Charles-Fort, in Canada, named after Charles I. In Ireland the town of Longford is called in the annals Longphorth O’Farrell (the fortress of the O’Farrells). This Irish word is sometimes corrupted, as in Lonart for Longphorth, and in Athlunkard for Athlongford (the ford of the fortress).
a market-place or place of assembly; e.g. Forli, anc. Forum-Livii (the forum of Livius), in Italy; Feurs, in France, anc. Forum-Segusianorum (the forum of the Segusiani); Forlimpopoli (the forum of the people); Ferrara, anc. Forum-Alieni (the market-place of the foreigner); Fornova (new forum); Fossombrone, anc. Forum-Sempronii (of Sempronius); Fréjus and Friuli, anc. Forum-Julii (of Julius); Frontignan, anc. Forum-Domitii (of Domitius), also called Frontiniacum (on the edge of the water); Voorburg, in Holland, anc. Forum-Hadriani (the market-place of Hadrian); Klagenfurt, anc. Claudii-Forum (the forum of Claudius); Fordongianus, in Sardinia, anc. Forum-Trajani (the forum of Trajan); Forcassi, anc. Forum-Cassii (of Cassius); Fiora, anc. Forum-Aurelii (of Aurelius); Appii-Forum (of Appius); Marazion, in Cornwall, or Marketjeu, Latinised by the Romans into Forum-Jovis (the forum of Jove or of God), resorted to in former times from its vicinity to the sacred shrine of St. Michael.
a ditch or trench dug around a fortified place, from the Lat. fodio, to dig; e.g. Fosseway (the road near the trench); Foston (the town with the trench or moat); Fosse, in Belgium; Fos, at the mouths of the Rhone, anc. Fossæ Marianæ Portus (the port of the trench or canal of Marius).
free, but in topography meaning belonging to the Franks; e.g. Franconia (the district of the Franks); France, abridged from Frankreich (the kingdom of the Franks or freemen); Frankenthal (the valley of the Franks); Frankenberg and Frankenfels (the hill and rock of the Franks); Frankenburg and Frankenhausen (the dwellings of the Franks); Frankenstein (the rock of the Franks); Frankenmarkt (the market of the Franks); Ville-franche and Ville-franche sur Saone (free town), in France; Villa-franca (free town), several in Italy; Villa-franca (free town), in Spain.
a privileged place, as also freiheit (freedom); e.g. Freyburg and Fribourg (the privileged city); Schloss-freiheit and Berg-freiheit (the privileged castle); Oude-Vrijheid (the old privileged place), in Holland; Freystadt, in Hungary, Grk. Eleutheropolis (free city).
the ash-tree; e.g. Les Frênes, Les Fresnes (the ash-trees); Frenois, Frenoit, Frenai, Frenay, Fresney (the place abounding in ash-trees), in France; Frassinetto-di-Po (the ash-tree grove on the R. Po).
joy; e.g. Freudenthal (the valley of joy); Freudenstadt (the town of joy).
a hedge, from the Old Ger. word vride—akin to the Gael. fridh, and the Welsh fridd (a wood); e.g. Burgfried (the hedge of the fortress); Friedberg, anc. Vriduperg (a fortress surrounded by a hedge); but Friedland, in East Prussia, Grk. Irenopyrgos (the tower of peace), is from friede, Ger. peace. The prefix fried is also sometimes a contraction for Frederick—thus Friedburg may mean Frederick’s town.
the navigable estuary of a river, akin to fiord and the Lat. fretum, a channel; e.g. the Firths of Forth, Tay, and Clyde; the Solway Firth. This word Solway has had various derivations assigned to it: one derivation is from the Selgovæ, a tribe; Ferguson suggests the Old Norse word sulla, Eng. sully, from its turbid waters, particularly as it was called in Leland’s Itinera Sulway. I would suggest the A.S. sol (mire), as this channel is a miry slough at low tide, and can be crossed on foot; Pentland Firth, corrupt. from Petland Fiord (the bay between the land of the Picts and the Orkneys).
lord and lady; e.g. Froustalla (the lord or nobleman’s stall); Frousthorp (the nobleman’s farm); Fraubrunnen (our lady’s well); Frauenberg, Frauenburg, Fraustadt (our lady’s town); Frauenkirchen (our lady’s church); Frauenfeld (our lady’s field).
dirty; e.g. Fulbeck, Fulbrook (dirty stream); Fulneck or Fullanig (dirty water); Fulham or Fullenham (either the dwelling on the miry place or, according to another derivation, from fügel, a bird).
a bath or watering-place; e.g. Tisza-Füred (the watering-place on the R. Theis or Tisza); Balaton-Füred, on Lake Balaton.
a prince or the first in rank; e.g. Furstenau, Furstenberg, Furstenfeld, Furstenwald, Furstenwerder, Furstenzell (the meadow, hill, field, wood, island, church, of the prince); but Furstberg means the chief or highest hill.
a fork, applied to river forks; e.g. Gabelbach (the forked stream); Gabelhof (the court or dwelling at the forked stream), in Germany. In Ireland: Goul, Gowel, and Gowl (the fork); Gola (forks); Addergoul, Addergoule, and Edargoule, Irish Eadar-dha-ghabhal (the place between two river-prongs); Goule, in Yorkshire (on the fork of two streams).
a cottage; e.g. Holzgaden (wood cottage); Steingaden (rock cottage).
an enclosure, a city, or fortified place, from kir, a wall; e.g. Gades or Cadiz, anc. Gadr, in Spain; Carthage, anc. Kartha-hadtha (the new city, in opposition to Utica, the old); Carthagena (New Carthage); Kirjath-Arba (the city of Arba, afterwards Hebron); Kirjath-sepher (of the book); Kirjath-jearim (of forests); Kirjath-Baal (Baal’s town); Kirjath-Sannah (of palms); Keriathaim (the double town); Kir-Moab (the citadel of Moab); Cordova, in Spain, Phœn. Kartha-Baal (which may mean the city of Baal).
a village; e.g. Alut-gama (new village), in Ceylon.
a narrow passage, either on land or by water; e.g. Birkengang (the birch-tree pass); Strassgang (a narrow street); Gangbach (the passage across the brook); Ganghofen (the dwelling at the ferry), on the R. Roth, in Bavaria.
a river; e.g. Borra Ganga or the Ganges (the great river); Kishenganga (the black river); Neelganga (the blue river); Naraingunga (the river of Naranyana or Vishnu); Ramgunga (Ram’s river).
rough; e.g. Rivers Gara, Garry, Garwe, Garwy, Owengarve, Garonne, Garvault, Yair, Yarrow (rough stream); Garracloon (rough meadow); Garroch head or Ard-Kingarth (the point of the rough headland), in Bute; Garioch (the rough district), in Aberdeenshire.
a word of Germanic or Celtic origin, from the Low Lat. warenna, and that from the High Ger. waran (to take precautions), had at first the sense of a protected or guarded place, and more lately of a wood to which was attached the exclusive right of the chase; e.g. La Garenne, Garenne, Varenne, Varennes, Warennes, in various departments of France.
a river; e.g. Ky-garief (yellow river); Nu-garief (black river).
a garden; e.g. Garryowen (Owen’s garden); Gairyard (high garden); Ballingarry (the town of the garden); Garrane and Garrawn (the shrubbery); Garranbane (white shrubbery).
a hill; e.g. Tal-garth (the brow of the hill), in Brecknockshire; Brecknock, named after Brychan, its king, who came from Ireland in the sixth century. Its ancient name was Garth-Madryn (the fox’s hill).
an enclosed place, either for plants or cattle, then a farm. It is sometimes found in the form of gort in Ireland and Scotland; e.g. Garton (the enclosure or enclosed town); Applegarth (the apple enclosure or farm); Hogarth (an enclosure for hay); Weingarten (an enclosure for vines, or a vineyard); Stuttgart and Hestingaard (an enclosure for horses); Nornigard (the sibyl’s dwelling, norn, a prophetess); Fishgarth or Fishguard (the fisher’s farm), in Wales; Noostigard (the farm at the naust or ship station); in Shetland; Smiorgard (butter farm); Prestgard (the priest’s farm); Yardley (the enclosed meadow); Yardborough (the enclosed town); Gartan (little field); Gordon, a parish in Berwickshire, corrupt. from Goirtean (little farm); Gartbane and Gortban (fair field); Gartfarran (the farm at the fountain, fuaran); Gartbreck (spotted field); Gortnagclock (the field of the stones); Gortreagh (gray field); Gortenure (the field of the yew-tree); Oulart, in Ireland, corrupt. from Abhalghort (apple-field or orchard); Bugard (an enclosure for cattle), in Shetland; Olligard (the farm or dwelling of Olaf), in Shetland; Girthon, corrupt. from Girthavon (the enclosure on the river), in Kirkcudbright). On the other hand, Garda or Warda in French names signified originally a fortified or protected place, from an old Teutonic word warta; hence Gardere, Gardière, La Garderie, La Garde, La Warde, etc.
an opening or passage; e.g. the Cattegat (the cat’s throat or passage); Margate (the sea-gate or passage), anc. Meregate, there having been formerly a mere or lake here which had its influx into the sea; Ramsgate (the passage of Ruim, the ancient name of Thanet); Reigate, contraction from Ridgegate (the passage through the ridge); Yetholm (the valley at the passage or border between England and Scotland, yet, Scot. a gate); Harrowgate, probably the passage of the army, A.S. here, as it is situated near one of the great Roman roads; Crossgates, a village in Fife (at the road crossings); Ludgate did not derive its name from a certain King Lud, according to popular tradition, but is an instance of tautology, there having been an ancient A.S. word hlid (a door), hence Geathlid (a postern gate)—v. BOSWORTH. In India the word ghat is applied to a pass between hills or mountains, as in the Ghauts (the two converging mountain ranges); Sheergotta (the lion’s pass), between Calcutta and Benares; and Geragaut (the horse’s pass), or to a passage across a river, as well as to the flights of steps leading from a river to the buildings on its banks. Thus Calcutta is Kalikuti (the ghauts or passes leading to the temple of the goddess Kali), on the R. Hoogly; also Calicut, on the Malabar coast.