Main Menu - Misc. - Clothing/Textiles - Medieval Wales - Names - Other Medieval - Publications - Harpy Publications
This seems a good place to digress on the subject of personal names appearing in other types of place names. If there is one theme I have discovered throughout this study, it is the continuing and pervasive emphasis on relationships to particular individuals: relationships of family groups and tribes, of retinues, and of landscape features. Thus it is not surprising that all manner of place names incorporate the given name of some person historically associated with them. With the exception of the suffixed forms discussed above, the general structure for such names is <generic term for structure or feature> <personal name>. A translation of the first element of the name follows each example.
(Examples are taken from Richards 1969 and are not guaranteed to be period.)
| Bettws Geraint | prayer-house |
| Blaen-pedran | headwater |
| Bod-angharad | home |
| Bryn-siencyn | hill |
| Caer-einion | castle |
| Cantref Selyf | cantref |
| Capel Cadfan | chapel |
| Castell Madog | castle |
| Cefn-meurig | ridge |
| Cerrig-ceinwen | stone |
| Cil-feigan | nook, corner |
| Clawdd-madog | ditch |
| Coed-morgan | wood |
| Cwm-meurig | valley |
| Cynllaith Llywelyn | battlefield |
| Dinas-cadfel | fortification |
| Eglwys Ieuan | church |
| Ffynnon-arthur | well |
| Garth Heilyn | enclosure |
| Gelli-gynan | grove |
| Gwern-hywel | swamp |
| Gwestfa Gruffudd ab Elidir | (see above for definiton) |
| Hafod-gynfor | summer-house |
| Hendre-gradog | "old-town" |
| Llan-aelhaearn | church |
| Llannerch-frochwel | clearing, glade |
| Llech Talhaearn | stone |
| Llwyn Teilo | grove |
| Llys-dinwallon | court |
| Maen-arthur | stone |
| Maenor Cadwgan | "manor" |
| Merthyr Meirion | grave (esp. a saint's) |
| Pen-arthur | head, hill |
| Pennant Melangell | head of a stream |
| Pont-fadog | bridge |
| Porth-einon | port |
| Pwll-meurig | pool |
| Rhandir Gwilym | "share-land" |
| Tir Ifan | land |
| Tre-ddafydd | town |
| Ynys-gynwraidd | island |
| Ysbyty Ifan | hospice |
| Ystrad-gynan | valley |
The main exceptions to the sort of elements that can appear with personal names are terms associated closely with rivers: aber (estuary), dyffryn (valley), glyn (valley), nan(t) (stream), pant (hollow), rhyd (ford). Even cwm (valley) and blaen (highland or headwater) show very few examples with personal names.
This site belongs to Heather Rose Jones. Contact me regarding anything beyond personal, individual use of this material.
Unless otherwise noted, all contents are copyright by Heather Rose Jones, all rights reserved.