Celtic toponymy is the study of place names wholly or partially of

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...

origin. These names are found throughout continental Europe,

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

and, latterly, through various other parts of the globe not originally occupied by

Celts The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancien ...

Celtic languages

The

Proto-Indo-European language Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. No direct record of Proto-Indo-E ...

developed into various daughter languages, including the

Proto-Celtic language Proto-Celtic, or Common Celtic, is the ancestral proto-language of all known Celtic languages, and a descendant of Proto-Indo-European. It is not attested in writing but has been partly Linguistic reconstruction, reconstructed through the compar ...

. In Proto-Celtic ("PC"), the Proto-Indo-European ("PIE") sound *''p''

disappeared An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by a state or political organization, or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organiza ...

, perhaps through an intermediate *'. After that, languages derived from Proto-Celtic changed PC *''k^w'' into either *''p'' or *''k'' (see:

P-Celtic and Q-Celtic languages The Celtic languages (usually , but sometimes ) are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic. They form a branch of the Indo-European language family. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward L ...

). In P-Celtic languages, PC *''k^w'' changed into *''p''. In Q-Celtic dialects it developed into /''k''/. P-Celtic languages include the Continental

Gaulish language Gaulish was an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzer ...

and the

Brittonic Brittonic or Brythonic may refer to: *Common Brittonic, or Brythonic, the Celtic language anciently spoken in Great Britain *Brittonic languages, a branch of the Celtic languages descended from Common Brittonic *Britons (Celtic people) The Br ...

branch of Insular Celtic.

Common Brittonic Common Brittonic ( cy, Brythoneg; kw, Brythonek; br, Predeneg), also known as British, Common Brythonic, or Proto-Brittonic, was a Celtic language spoken in Britain and Brittany. It is a form of Insular Celtic, descended from Proto-Celtic, a ...

is the ancestor of

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

, Cornish and

Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally ** Breton people ** Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Ga ...

. Ancient Q-Celtic languages include the Continental Celtiberian and the

Goidelic The Goidelic or Gaelic languages ( ga, teangacha Gaelacha; gd, cànanan Goidhealach; gv, çhengaghyn Gaelgagh) form one of the two groups of Insular Celtic languages, the other being the Brittonic languages. Goidelic languages historically ...

branch of Insular Celtic. Goidelic is the ancestor of the Gaelic languages

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

and Manx.

Frequent elements

* Celtic *''briga'' 'hill, high place' > Welsh ''bri'' 'honourable, respected' (not directly related to Welsh ''bryn'' 'hill'), Irish ''brí'' 'hill; strength, vigour, significance' *''brigant-'' 'high, lofty, elevated'; used as a feminine divine name, rendered Brigantia in Latin, Old Irish Brigit 'exalted one', name of a goddess. * Celtic *''brīwa'' 'bridge' * Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress' > Welsh ''dinas'' 'city' & ''din'' 'fortress', Irish ''dún'' 'fortress' * Celtic *''duro-'' 'fort' * Celtic *''k^wenno-'' 'head' > Brythonic *''penn-'', Welsh ''pen'' 'head, end, chief, supreme', Irish ''ceann'' 'head' * Celtic *''magos'' 'field, plain' > Welsh ''maes'' 'field', Irish ''magh'' 'plain' * Celtic *''windo-'' 'white, fair, blessed' > Welsh ''gwyn/wyn'' / ''gwen/wen'' 'white, blessed', Old Irish ''find'', Irish ''fionn'' 'fair'

Continental Celtic

Austria

Bregenz Bregenz (; gsw, label= Vorarlbergian, Breagaz ) is the capital of Vorarlberg, the westernmost state of Austria. The city lies on the east and southeast shores of Lake Constance, the third-largest freshwater lake in Central Europe, between Switze ...

Vorarlberg Vorarlberg ( , ; gsw, label=Vorarlbergisch, Vorarlbearg, , or ) is the westernmost States of Austria, state () of Austria. It has the second-smallest geographical area after Vienna and, although it also has the second-smallest population, it is ...

, Latin ''Brigantium'' From Celtic *''brigant-'' 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia) *Wien, English

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, Latin

Vindobona Vindobona (from Gaulish ''windo-'' "white" and ''bona'' "base/bottom") was a Roman military camp on the site of the modern city of Vienna in Austria. The settlement area took on a new name in the 13th century, being changed to Berghof, or now si ...

From Celtic *''windo-'' 'white' (Welsh ''gwyn'') + *''bona'' 'base, foundation' (Welsh ''bôn'' 'base, bottom, stump', Irish ''bun'' 'bottom, base')

Belgium

Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...

, Latin ''Arduenna Silva'' From divine name ''

Arduinna In Gallo-Roman religion, Arduinna (also Arduina, Arduinnae or Arduinne) was the eponymous tutelary goddess of the Ardennes Forest and region, thought to be represented as a huntress riding a boar (primarily in the present-day regions of Belgium an ...

'', from Celtic *''ardu-'' 'high' (Irish ''ard'') + Latin ''silva'' 'forest' *

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...

From divine name ''

Gontia Gontia () was a Celtic goddess. She was the tutelary deity of the river Günz, near Günzburg in Germany. She is known from an inscription on a Roman-era altar at Günzburg ( la, Guntia) that reads ''Gontiae / sac(rum) / G(aius!) Iulius / Faventian ...

Czech Republic

Košťany Košťany (; german: Kosten) is a town in Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,200 inhabitants. Administrative parts The village of Střelná is an administrative part of Košťany. Geography Koš ...

, originally ''Costen'', from Celtic ( Cornish) ''costean'' 'tin mine'

France

Most of the main cities in France have a Celtic name (the original Gaulish one or the name of the Gaulish tribe). *

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...

Angers Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the prov ...

Argentan Argentan () is a commune and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in northwestern France. Argentan is located NE of Rennes, ENE of the Mont Saint-Michel, SE of Cherbourg, SSE of Caen, SW of Rouen and N ...

, Argenton (

Argenton, Lot-et-Garonne Argenton (; oc, Argenton) is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in southwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Lot-et-Garonne department The following is a list of the 319 communes of the French department of Lot-et-Ga ...

Argenton-les-Vallées Argenton-les-Vallées is a former commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Argentonnay, and became a delegated commune of Argentonnay. It is situated in the valley of the Ri ...

Argenton-l'Église Argenton-l'Église is a former commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Loretz-d'Argenton.Argenton-Notre-Dame,

Argenton-sur-Creuse Argenton-sur-Creuse is a commune in the Indre department in central France. Geography Argenton-sur-Creuse lies on the river Creuse, about 28 km southwest of Châteauroux. Argenton-sur-Creuse station has rail connections to Vierzon, Limoges and ...

, Argenton River) *

Arles Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...

Autun Autun () is a subprefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of central-eastern France. It was founded during the Principate era of the early Roman Empire by Emperor Augustus as Augustodunum to give a Ro ...

Bayeux Bayeux () is a Communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados Departments of France, department in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy in northwestern France. Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts ...

< ''(

Civitas In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (; plural ), according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the , or citizens, united by law (). It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities () on th ...

) Baiocassensis''; former ''Augustodurum''. '

forum Forum or The Forum (plural forums or fora) may refer to: Common uses * Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example *Internet ...

dedicated to

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...

Bourges Bourges () is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre. It is the capital of the department of Cher, and also was the capital city of the former province of Berry. History The name of the commune derives either from the Bituriges, t ...

Briançon Briançon (, ) is the sole Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hautes-Alpes Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region in Southeastern France. It is the highest city in France at an a ...

< ''Brigantium'', from Celtic *''brigant-'' 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia) *

Brive-la-Gaillarde Brive-la-Gaillarde (; Limousin dialect of oc, Briva la Galharda) is a commune of France. It is a sub-prefecture and the largest city of the Corrèze department. It has around 46,000 inhabitants, while the population of the agglomeration was 7 ...

< ''Briva'' 'bridge' * Brives *

Caen Caen (, ; nrf, Kaem) is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inhabitants (), while its functional urban area has 470,000,Cahan, Cahon) < ''Catumagos''. From Old Celtic ''catu-'' 'battle' 'fight' 'combat', Old Irish ''cath'' 'battle, battalion, troop', Breton ''-kad'' /''-gad'', Welsh ''cad'' 'combat, troop'; ''mago-'' 'field, plain', Old Irish ''magh''. The general meaning seems to be 'battlefield' *

Cahors Cahors (; oc, Caors ) is a commune in the western part of Southern France. It is the smallest prefecture among the 13 departments that constitute the Occitanie Region. The main city of the Lot department and the historical center of the Quer ...

Carentan Carentan () is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France, with a population of about 6,000. It is a former commune in the Manche department. On 1 January 2016, it was merg ...

< ''Carentomagus'', Idem Charenton, etc. *

Chambord Chambord can refer to: * Chambord (liqueur), a brand of raspberry-flavored liqueur * Château de Chambord, a French ''château'' built in the 16th century * Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, the French commune where the ''château'' is located * Chambord, ...

*Divodurum (Latin), now

Metz Metz ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand E ...

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...

, from Celtic *''diwo-'' 'god, holy, divine' (Scottish Gaelic ''dia'' 'god') + *''duro-'' 'fort' *

Évreux Évreux () is a commune in and the capital of the department of Eure, in the French region of Normandy. Geography The city is on the Iton river. Climate History In late Antiquity, the town, attested in the fourth century CE, was named ...

< ''(Civitas) Eburovicensis'' ; former ''Mediolanum'' *

Laon Laon () is a city in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. History Early history The holy district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance. In ...

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; pcd, Ainne) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne. In 2019, it had a population of 531,345.Lugdunum Lugdunum (also spelled Lugudunum, ; modern Lyon, France) was an important Roman city in Gaul, established on the current site of Lyon. The Roman city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus, but continued an existing Gallic settlem ...

Clavatum'' *Lemonum (Latin), now

Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...

Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.Lillebonne Lillebonne () is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in Northern France. It lies north of the Seine and east of Le Havre. In 2019, it had a population of 8,797. History Before the Roman conquest of Gaul, Iuliobona ...

Limoges Limoges (, , ; oc, Lemòtges, locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region ...

Lisieux Lisieux () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. It is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland. Name The name of the town derives from the l ...

< ''(Civitas) Lexoviensis'' ; former ''Noviomagus'' 'new market', Old Celtic ''noviios'' 'new', ''magos'' 'field, plain'. *

Lugdunum Lugdunum (also spelled Lugudunum, ; modern Lyon, France) was an important Roman city in Gaul, established on the current site of Lyon. The Roman city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus, but continued an existing Gallic settlem ...

Convenarum (Latin), now

Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (, literally ''Saint-Bertrand of Comminges''; Gascon: ''Sent Bertran de Comenge'') is a commune (municipality) and former episcopal see in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. It is a member of the ...

Haute-Garonne Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a department in the Occitanie region of Southwestern France. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country's ...

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...

Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...

, Latin ''Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta

'', from Celtic *''lug-'' '

Lugus Lugus was a deity of the Celtic pantheon. His name is rarely directly attested in inscriptions, but his importance can be inferred from place names and ethnonyms, and his nature and attributes are deduced from the distinctive iconography of Gall ...

' (divine name) or perhaps 'light' + *''dūnon'' 'fortress' * Nant, Nans *

Nantes Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabita ...

Nanteuil Nanteuil () is a commune of the Deux-Sèvres department in western France. See also * Communes of the Deux-Sèvres department The following is a list of the 256 communes of the Deux-Sèvres department of France. The communes cooperate in th ...

Nanterre Nanterre (, ) is the prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department in the western suburbs of Paris. It is located some northwest of the centre of Paris. In 2018, the commune had a population of 96,807. The eastern part of Nanterre, bordering t ...

*Noviomagus Lexoviorum (Latin), now

Calvados Calvados (, , ) is a brandy from Normandy in France, made from apples or pears, or from apples with pears. History In France Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. The first known record of Norm ...

*Noviomagus Tricastinorum (Latin), now

Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux (; oc, label=Vivaro-Alpine, Sant Pau de Tricastin), sometimes known as -en-Tricastin, is a commune, an administrative region, in the Drôme department in southeastern France. Name The settlement is attested as ''August ...

Drôme Drôme (; Occitan: ''Droma''; Arpitan: ''Drôma'') is the southernmost department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. Named after the river Drôme, it had a population of 516,762 as of 2019.

Noyon Noyon (; pcd, Noéyon; la, Noviomagus Veromanduorum, Noviomagus of the Veromandui, then ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Oise Departments of France, department, northern France. Geography Noyon lies on the river Oise (river), Oise, a ...

Oise Oise ( ; ; pcd, Oése) is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise. Inhabitants of the department are called ''Oisiens'' () or ''Isariens'', after the Latin name for the river, Isara. It had a population of 829,419 ...

, Latin ''Noviomagus Veromanduorum'', from Celtic *''nowijo-'' 'new' (Welsh ''newydd'') + *''magos'' 'field, plain' *

Oissel Oissel () is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. Geography A suburban and light industrial town situated by the banks of the river Seine, just south of Rouen at the junction of the D18 and the ...

, Oisseau-le-Petit, several Ussel, etc. *

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

Arausio Orange (; Provençal: ''Aurenja'' or ''Aurenjo'' ) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is about north of Avignon, on the departmental border with Gard, which follows th ...

, a water god *

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

Parisii (Gaul) The Parisii (Gaulish: ''Parisioi'') were a Gallic tribe that dwelt on the banks of the river Seine during the Iron Age and the Roman era. They lived on lands now occupied by the modern city of Paris, whose name is derived from the ethnonym. ...

, a Celtic tribe spanning the

Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...

locally *Périgueux * Pierremande < ''Petromantalum'' < ''petro-matalo-'' 'four road' = 'crossing' *

Rennes Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...

< ''Rotomagus'', sometimes ''Ratómagos'' or ''Ratumacos'' (on the coins of the '' Veliocassi'' tribe). It can be ''roto-'', the word for 'wheel' or 'race', cf. Old Irish ''roth'' 'wheel' 'race' or Welsh ''rhod'' 'wheel' 'race'. ''Magos'' is surer here : 'field', 'plain' or later 'market' cf. Old Irish ''mag'' (gen. ''maige'') 'field' 'plain', Old Breton ''ma'' 'place'. The whole thing could mean 'hippodrome', 'racecourse' or 'wheel market'. *Samarobrīva (Latin), now

, Somme, = "Bridge on the

iver Iver is a large civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England. In addition to the central clustered village, the parish includes the residential neighbourhoods of Iver Heath and Richings Park. Geography, transport and economy Part of the 43-square- ...

Somme": River name ''Samara'' + Celtic *''brīwa'' 'bridge'. *

Vandœuvres Vandœuvres is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. Geography Vandœuvres has an area, , of . Of this area, or 39.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 5.9% is forested. Of the rest of th ...

, Vendeuvre < ''vindo-briga'' 'white fortress' *

Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...

'', Latin "Virodunum" or "Verodunum", second element from Celtic *''dūnon'' ''fortress''. * Vernon < ''Vernomagus''. There are other Vernons in France, but they come directly from ''Vernō'' 'place of the alder-trees'. 'plain of the alder-trees'. ''uernā'' 'alder-tree', Old Irish ''fern'', Breton, Welsh ''gwern'', dial. French ''verne'' / ''vergne''. *

Veuves Veuves () is a former commune in the Loir-et-Cher department in central France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Veuzain-sur-Loire.

Voves Voves () is a former commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in central France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Les Villages Vovéens.Vion

Germany

Alzenau Alzenau (; until 31 December 2006 officially ''Alzenau i.UFr.'') is a town in the north of the Aschaffenburg (district), Aschaffenburg district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Lower Franconia (''Unterfranken'') in Bavaria, Germany. Until 1 July 1972 ...

From Celtic ''alisa'', s.f., '

alder Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few sp ...

'. (Compare the modern

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

Erlenbach) and

Old High German Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050. There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old High ...

(OHG) ''aha'', s.n., 'flowing water'. *de Amarahe (?), a lost river name near

Fulda Fulda () (historically in English called Fuld) is a town in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district (''Kreis''). In 1990, the town hosted the 30th Hessentag state festival. History ...

c. 800 CE *Amerbach, a stream near

Groß-Umstadt Groß-Umstadt is a town in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg in the Bundesland (federal state) of Hesse in Germany. It is near by Darmstadt and Frankfurt on the northern border of mountain range Odenwald and is on the south-eastern edge of Rhine- ...

, Babenhausen,

Ober-Ramstadt Ober-Ramstadt is a town in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, in Hessen, Germany. It is situated 9 km southeast of Darmstadt. As of 2020, its population was 15,127. Geography Location Ober-Ramstadt is situated 9 km away from Darmstadt o ...

* Ammer * Ammerbach * Ammergraben, a stream near Harpertshausen *

Amorbach Amorbach () is a town in the Miltenberg district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Lower Franconia (''Unterfranken'') in Bavaria, Germany, with some 4,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the small river Mud, in the northeastern part of the Odenwald ...

, a stream near

Mümling The Mümling is a river of Hesse and Bavaria, Germany. It is long and lends its name to the Mümlingtal (Mümling valley) in Odenwald. In Bavaria it is sometimes called Mömling in official documents. It is a left tributary of the Main. Etymol ...

and the village named after it. * Amorsbrunn * Wald-Amorbach Perhaps from Celtic ''ambara'', 'channel, river'. Compare

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...

*''amer-'', 'channel, river' >

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

ἀμάρη (amárē), 'channel'. Or, from Celtic ''amara'', '

spelt Spelt (''Triticum spelta''), also known as dinkel wheat or hulled wheat, is a species of wheat that has been cultivated since approximately 5000 BC. Spelt was an important staple food in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times. No ...

, a type of grain'. * Annelsbach a suburb of Höchst *

Ansbach Ansbach (; ; East Franconian: ''Anschba'') is a city in the German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränkische Rezat, a ...

Mittelfranken Middle Franconia (german: Mittelfranken, ) is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the west of Bavaria and borders the state of Baden-Württemberg. The administrative seat is Ansbach; however, ...

originally Onoltesbah 837 CE From Celtic *''onno''-, '

ash tree ''Fraxinus'' (), commonly called ash, is a genus of flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45–65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous, though a number of subtropical species are evergree ...

' plus an OHG ''bach'', 'small river'. *Boiodurum, now Innstadt, Passau, Niederbayern First element is Celtic *''Boio-'', tribal name (

Boii The Boii (Latin plural, singular ''Boius''; grc, Βόιοι) were a Celtic tribe of the later Iron Age, attested at various times in Cisalpine Gaul (Northern Italy), Pannonia (Hungary), parts of Bavaria, in and around Bohemia (after whom the ...

), possibly 'cattle-owner' (''cf''. Irish ''bó'' 'cow') or 'warrior'. Second element is Celtic *''duro-'' 'fort'. *

Bonn The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr r ...

From Celtic *''bona'' 'base, foundation' (Welsh ''bôn'' 'base, bottom, stump') *

Boppard Boppard (), formerly also spelled Boppart, is a town and municipality (since the 1976 inclusion of 9 neighbouring villages, ''Ortsbezirken'') in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis (Districts of Germany, district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, lying in t ...

From Gaulish ''Boudobriga'', "hill of victory". Containing the elements *''boudo-'' 'victory' (Welsh ''budd'' 'gain, benefit') + *''briga'', 'hill'. *

Düren Düren (; ripuarian: Düre) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, between Aachen and Cologne on the river Rur. History Roman era The area of Düren was part of Gallia Belgica, more specifically the territory of the Eburones, a people ...

, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Latin ''Durum'' From Celtic *''duro-'' 'fort' * Hercynia Silva (Latin), a vast forest including the modern

Black Forest The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...

From Celtic *''(φ)erkunos'' 'oak' or divine name

Perkwunos (Proto-Indo-European: ', 'the Striker' or 'the Lord of Oaks') is the reconstructed name of the weather god in Proto-Indo-European mythology. The deity was connected with fructifying rains, and his name probably invoked in times of drought. In a ...

+ Latin ''silva'' 'forest' *

Kempten im Allgäu Kempten (, (Swabian German: )) is the largest town of Allgäu, in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. The population was about 68,000 in 2016. The area was possibly settled originally by Celts, but was later taken over by the Romans, who called the town '' ...

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

, Latin ''Cambodūnum'', Celtic ''cambodūnom'', *''cambo-'' 'curved, bent, bowed, crooked', ''dūnon'' 'fortress' *

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...

Rheinland-Pfalz Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...

, Latin ''Moguntiacum'' From Celtic *''mogunt-'', 'mighty, great, powerful', used as a divine name (see

Mogons Mogons or Moguns was a Celtic god worshiped in Roman Britain and Gaul. The main evidence is from altars dedicated to the god by Roman soldiers. Etymology According to J.T. Koch at the University of Wales, the various alternations of the name ' ...

) * Meggingen From Celtic *''mago-'', 'plain, field' *

Neumagen-Dhron Neumagen-Dhron is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a state-recognized tourism communit ...

, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin ''Noviomagus Trevirorum'' *Noviomagus Nemetum (Latin), now

Speyer Speyer (, older spelling ''Speier'', French: ''Spire,'' historical English: ''Spires''; pfl, Schbaija) is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the river Rhine, Speyer li ...

, Rheinland-Pfalz From Celtic *''nowijo-'' 'new' (Welsh ''newydd'') + *''magos'' 'field, plain' *

Remagen Remagen ( ) is a town in Germany in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one-hour drive from Cologne, just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the left (western) bank of the ...

, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin ''Rigomagus'' or ''Ricomagus'' Second element is from Celtic *''magos'' 'field, plain'. The first may be a variant of Celtic ''rigi- 'king, chief of *touta' *

Tübingen Tübingen (, , Swabian: ''Dibenga'') is a traditional university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer rivers. about one in thr ...

Some have seen this

toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...

as a hybrid form comprising a Celtic form and a Germanic suffix -''ingen''. This may be so, since between the 2nd and 4th centuries, the area around the present day German university town of Tübingen was settled by a Celtic tribe with Germanic tribal elements mixed in. The element tub- in Tübingen could possibly arise from a Celtic ''dubo-'', s.m., 'dark, black; sad; wild'. As found in the

Anglo-Irish Anglo-Irish people () denotes an ethnic, social and religious grouping who are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. They mostly belong to the Anglican Church of Ireland, which was the establis ...

placenames of

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

Devlin Devlin may refer to: * Devlin (surname) * Devlin (given name) * Devlin (rapper), a British rapper * ''Devlin'' (TV series), a 1974 animated TV series by Hanna-Barbera * ''Devlin'', a 1988 novel by Roderick Thorp * ''The Devil and Max Devlin '' ...

, Dowling,

Doolin Doolin () is a coastal village in County Clare, Ireland, on the Atlantic coast. It is southwest of the spa town of Lisdoonvarna and 4 miles from the Cliffs of Moher. It is a noted centre of traditional Irish music, which is played nightly in i ...

and Ballindoolin. Perhaps the reference is to the darkness of the river waters that flow near the town; if so, then the name can be compared to the English

Tubney Tubney is a small village in Oxfordshire, England (in Berkshire until 1974). It lies just south of the A420 road from Oxford to Faringdon, southwest of Oxford. History Tubney was first mentioned in 955, when it was included in land granted to ...

, Tubbanford, Tub Mead and Tub Hole in England. Compare the late Vulgar Latin ''tubeta'' 'morass', from

Gaulish Gaulish was an ancient Celtic languages, Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium ...

. The root is found in

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

''dub'' >

''dubh'',

Old Welsh Old Welsh ( cy, Hen Gymraeg) is the stage of the Welsh language from about 800 AD until the early 12th century when it developed into Middle Welsh.Koch, p. 1757. The preceding period, from the time Welsh became distinct from Common Brittonic ...

''dub'' >

''du'',

Old Cornish Cornish ( Standard Written Form: or ) , is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family. It is a revived language, having become extinct as a living community language in Cornwall at the end of the 18th century. However, k ...

''duw'' >

Middle Cornish Cornish ( Standard Written Form: or ) , is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family. It is a revived language, having become extinct as a living community language in Cornwall at the end of the 18th century. However ...

''du'',

''du''

''dubo-'', ''dubis'', all meaning 'black; dark' *

Worms Worms may refer to: *Worm, an invertebrate animal with a tube-like body and no limbs Places *Worms, Germany, a city **Worms (electoral district) *Worms, Nebraska, U.S. *Worms im Veltlintal, the German name for Bormio, Italy Arts and entertainme ...

, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin ''Borbetomagus'' Second element from Celtic *''magos'', 'plain, field', first perhaps related to Old Irish borb 'fierce, violent, rough, arrogant; foolish'

Hungary

* Hercynium jugum (Latin) From Celtic *''(φ)erkunos'' 'oak' or divine name

+ Latin ''jugum'' 'summit'

Italy

Brianza Brianza (, , lmo, label=Brianzöö dialect, Briànsa) is a geographical, historical and cultural area of Italy, at the foot of the Alps, in the northwest of Lombardy, between Milan and Lake Como. Geography Brianza extends from th ...

, Lombardy, Latin ''Brigantia'' From Celtic *''brigant-'' 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia) *

Genova Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of Ge ...

, Liguria, English

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...

, Latin ''Genua'' Perhaps from Celtic *''genu-'' 'mouth

f a river F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...

. (However, this Ligurian place-name, as well as that of ''Genava'' (modern

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

), probably derive the

Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. No direct record of Proto-Indo-E ...

root *''ĝenu-'' 'knee', see Pokorny, IE

) *Milano, Lombardy, English

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

, Latin ''

Mediolanum Mediolanum, the ancient city where Milan now stands, was originally an Insubrian city, but afterwards became an important Roman city in northern Italy. The city was settled by the Insubres around 600 BC, conquered by the Romans in 222 BC, and d ...

'' Unclear. First element looks like Latin ''medius'' 'middle'. Second element may be Celtic *''landā'' 'land, place' (Welsh ''llan''); or, *''plan-'' > *''lan-'', a Celtic

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...

of Latin ''plānus'' 'plain', with typical Celtic loss of /p/. *

Belluno Belluno (; lld, Belum; vec, Belùn) is a town and province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Located about north of Venice, Belluno is the capital of the province of Belluno and the most important city in the Eastern Dolomites region ...

, Veneto, Latin ''Bellunum'' From Celtic *Bhel- 'bright' and *dūnon 'fortress'. *

Bergamo Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Como ...

, Lombardy, Latin ''Bergomum'' From Celtic *''brigant-'' 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia) *

Brescia Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo. ...

, Lombardy, Latin ''Brixia'' From Celtic *briga- 'rocky height or outcrop'. *

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

, Emilia Romagna, Latin ''Bononia'' From Celtic *bona 'base, foundation' (Welsh bôn 'base, bottom, stump')

Netherlands

Lugdunum Batavorum Brittenburg was a Roman ruin site west of Leiden between Katwijk aan Zee and Noordwijk aan Zee, presumably identical to the even older Celtic Lugdunum fortress. The site is first mentioned in 1401, was uncovered more completely by storm erosion ...

(Latin), now

Katwijk Katwijk (), also spelled Katwyk, is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland, which is situated in the mid-western part of the Netherlands. The Oude Rijn ("Old Rhine") river flows through the town and into the North Se ...

, Zuid-Holland From Celtic *''lug-'' '

' (divine name) or perhaps 'light' + *''dūnon'' 'fortress' *

Nijmegen Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...

, Gelderland, Latin ''Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum'' From Celtic *''nowijo-'' 'new' (Welsh ''newydd'') + *''magos'' 'field, plain'

Poland

* Lugidunum (Latin), now

Legnica Legnica (Polish: ; german: Liegnitz, szl, Lignica, cz, Lehnice, la, Lignitium) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River (left tributary of the Oder) and the Czarna Woda (Kaczawa), Czarna Woda ...

Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...

Second element from Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress'

Portugal

*Portugal Portū (port) + Cale, the mother goddess of the Celtic people, who armed with a hammer, formed mountains and valleys. She hides in the rocks. Mother Nature. Other names: Cailleach (Calicia/Galiza), Cailleach-Bheur, Beira (three Portuguese Provinces of the Central Mountain Region amounting to Lusitania province). *Braga, Braga Municipality, Portugal From Celtic *''bracari-'' after the Bracari Celts. *Bragança Municipality, Bragança, Alto Trás-os-Montes, Portugal From Celtic *''brigant-'' 'divine name, Brigantia'. *Beira (Portugal), Beira From Celtic *''beira-'' Cailleach/ Cale's other name Cailleach-Bheura or Beira, the Celtic Goddess of mountains, water and Winter. Three Portuguese provinces: Beira-Baixa, Beira-Alta and Beira-Litoral *Vale de Cambra Municipality, Vale de Cambra, Portugal From Celtic *''cambra-'' 'chamber, room'. *Conímbriga, Coimbra, Portugal From Celtic *''briga-'' 'rocky height or outcrop'. *Coimbra Cymru place of the people in fellowship - where the people gathered as in at a fairgrounds. Related to the word Cumberland and Cambria. *Douro, Norte Region, Portugal, Norte, Portugal From Celtic *''Dur'' 'water'. *Évora, Alentejo, Portugal From Celtic *''ebora-'' 'plural genitive of the word eburos (trees)'. *Lacobriga, Algarve, Portugal From Celtic *''Lacobriga-'' 'Lake of Briga'.

Romania

*Băișoara and other sites in Transylvania *Bazna, Boian in Sibiu, Boianu Mare in Bihor County, villages coming from

*Călan city in Hunedoara. *Deva, Romania, Deva, capital of Hunedoara, originally a city of the Dacians *Galați *Noviodunum now Isaccea means "new fortress" nowijo- + dūn-. *Timiș River in Banat.

Serbia

*Singidunum (Latin), now ''Beograd'', English Belgrade Second element from Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress'

Slovenia

*Celje, Latinized ''Celeia'' in turn from *''keleia'', meaning 'shelter' in Celtic *Neviodunum (Latin), now ''Drnovo'' Second element from Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress'

Spain

Asturias and Cantabria *Deva (river), Deva, several rivers in northern Spain, and Pontedeva, Galicia, Spain. From Celtic *''diwā-'' 'goddess; holy, divine' *Mons Vindius (now the Cantabrian Mountains), NW Spain. From Celtic *''windo-'' 'white'. Castile *Segovia, Castile and León, Spain, Greek ''Segovia#Name, Segoubía''. From *''segu-'', conjectured to be Celtic for 'victorious', 'strength' or 'dry' (Segedunum#Etymology, theories). Galicia *Tambre (river), Tambre, a river in Galicia (Spain), Latin ''Tamaris''. Possibly from Celtic *''tames-'' 'dark' (''cf''. Celtic *''temeslos'' > Welsh ''tywyll'' 'darkness'). River Tame, Greater Manchester#Toponomy, Other theories. *O Grove, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin ''Ogrobre'' 912. From Celtic *''ok-ro-'' 'acute; promontory' and Celtic *''brigs'' 'hill'. *Bergantiños, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin ''Bregantinos'' 830. From Celtic *''brigant-'' 'high, lofty, elevated', or divine name Brigantia, or from Celtic *brigantīnos 'chief, king'. *Dumbría, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin ''Donobria'' 830. From Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress' + Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'. *Val do Dubra and Dubra River, Galicia. From Celtic *''dubr-'' 'water', *''dubrās'' 'waters' (Welsh ''dwfr''). *Monforte de Lemos (region), Galicia, Spain, Latin ''Lemavos'', after the local tribe of the ''Lemavi''. From Celtic *''lemo-'' 'elm'. *Nendos (region), Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin ''Nemitos'' 830. From Celtic *''nemeton'' 'sanctuary'. *Noia, Galicia, Spain, Greek ''Nouion''. From Celtic *''nowijo-'' 'new' (Welsh newydd).

Switzerland

Switzerland, especially the Swiss Plateau, has many Celtic (Gaulish language, Gaulish) toponyms. This old layer of names was overlaid with Latin names in the Gallo-Roman period, and, from the medieval period, with Alemannic German and Romance names. For some names, there is uncertainty as to whether they are Gaulish or Latin in origin. In some rare cases, such as Frick, Switzerland, there have even been competing suggestions of Gaulish, Latin and Alemannic etymologies. Examples of toponyms with established Gaulish etymology: *Solothurn, from ''Salodurum''. The ''-durum'' element means "doors, gates; palisade; town". The etymology of the ''salo-'' element is unclear. *Thun, Bern: ''dunum'' "fort" *Windisch, Aargau, Latin ''Vindonissa'': first element from *''windo-'' "white" *Winterthur, Zürich, Latin ''Vitudurum'' or ''Vitodurum'', from ''vitu'' "willow" and ''durum'' *Yverdon-les-Bains, from ''Eburodunum'', from ''eburo-'' "Taxus baccata, yew" and ''dunum'' "fort". *Zürich, Latin ''Turicum (Zürich), Turicum'', from a Gaulish personal name ''Tūros'' *Limmat, from ''Lindomagos'' "lake-plain", originally the name of the plain formed by the Linth and Lake Zurich.

Insular Celtic

Goidelic

England

Place names in England derived partly or wholly from Goidelic languages include: *Cambois, Northumberland, possibly from Old Irish ''cambas'' ("bay, creek")Bethany Fox, 'The P-Celtic Place-Names of North-East England and South-East Scotland', The Heroic Age, 10 (2007), http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox.html (appendix at http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox-appendix.html); * Carperby, Yorkshire containing the Irish Gaelic given-name ''Cairpe'' *Dovenby, from personal name Dufan of Irish origin (OIr 'Dubhán') *Dunmallard, Cumberland, possibly from Middle Irish ''*dùn-mallacht'' ("fort of curses") *Fixby, from the Gaelic Irish personal name Fiach *Glassonby, from the Irish personal name Glassan *Liscard, Cheshire, possibly from Irish Gaelic ''lios na carraige'' meaning "fort of the rock".A. D. Mills, ''A Dictionary of British Place Names'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), s.v. *Malmesbury, from the Irish founder of the abbey Máel Dub *Melmerby, Richmondshire, Melmerby, Yorkshire, from the Old Irish personal name Máel Muire (female name), Máel Muire Place names that directly reference the Irish include Irby, Merseyside, Irby, Irby upon Humber, Ireby, Lancashire, Ireby and Askam and Ireleth, Ireleth.

Ireland

The vast majority of placenames in

are anglicized Irish language names.

Scotland

The majority of placenames in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland (part of the United Kingdom) are either

or anglicized Scottish Gaelic. Gaelic-derived placenames are very common in the rest of mainland Scotland also. Pictish language, Pictish-derived placenames can be found in the northeast, while Brythonic-derived placenames can be found in the south.

Isle of Man

The majority of placenames on the Isle of Man (a Crown dependencies, Crown dependency) are Manx or anglicized Manx.

Brythonic

England (excluding Cornwall)

Evidence for a Celtic root to place names in England is widely strengthened by early monastic charters, chronicles and returns: examples relate to Leatherhead and Lichfield. To describe a place as of the Celts, the Old English ''walhaz, wealh'' becoming ''Wal/Wall/Welsh'' is often used. This was the main Germanic term for Romano-Celtic peoples, such as the Britons (Celtic people), Britons. Such names are a minority, but are widespread across England. For example, a smattering of villages around the heart and east of The Fens hint at this: West Walton, Walsoken, and the Walpole, Norfolk, Walpoles indicate their continued presence. Nearby Wisbech, King's Lynn and Chatteris have Celtic topographical elements. *Arden, Warwickshire, Arden (forest of), Warwickshire From Celtic *''ardu-'' 'high' (Irish ''ard'') *River Avon (Bristol), Avon (river), Gloucestershire/Wiltshire/Somerset *River Avon (Hampshire), Avon (river), Wiltshire/Hampshire/Dorset *River Avon (Warwickshire), Avon (river), Northamptonshire/Warwickshire/Worcestershire/Gloucestershire *River Avon, Devon, Avon or Aune (river), Devon From Brythonic *''abona'' 'river' (Welsh ''afon'') *River Axe (Lyme Bay), Axe (river), Devon/Dorset *River Axe (Bristol Channel), Axe (river), Somerset *Axminster, Devon *Axmouth, Devon From Celtic *''iska'' 'water' (Irish ''uisce'') *Brean, Somerset *Bredon, Worcestershire *Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire *Brewood, Staffordshire *Brill, Buckinghamshire, Brill, Buckinghamshire First element from Celtic *''briga'' 'hill' *River Brent, Brent (river), Greater London *Brentford, Greater London From Celtic *''brigant-'' 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia) *Bryn, Greater Manchester, Bryn, Greater Manchester Derived from Welsh ''bryn'', 'hill'. *Camulodunum (Latin), now Colchester, Essex From *''kamulos'' 'Camulus' (divine name) + Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress' *Creech St Michael, Somerset *Crewkerne, Somerset *Crich, Derbyshire *Cricket St Thomas, Somerset *Crickheath, Shropshire *Cricklade, Wiltshire First element from Brythonic *''crüg'' 'hill'Mills, AD. ''Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names''. Oxford University Press, 1991. (Irish ''cruach'') *Crewe, Cheshire From Old Welsh *''criu'' 'river crossing' *River Dever, Dever (river), Hampshire *Deverill (river), Wiltshire *Devon, Latin ''Dumnonia'' First two possibly linked. Latter from tribal name ''Dumnonii'' or ''Dumnones'', from Celtic *''dumno-'' 'deep', 'world' *Dover, Kent, Latin ''Dubris'' *Andover, Hampshire, Andover, Hampshire *Wendover, Buckinghamshire From Celtic *''dubr-'' 'water', *''dubrās'' 'waters' (Welsh ''dwfr''; Breton ''dour'') *Durham, England, Durham, County Durham, Latin ''Dunelm'' First element is possibly ''dun'', ' hill fort' (Welsh ddin, 'fort'). *Durobrivae (Rochester), Durobrivae (Latin), now Rochester, Kent, Rochester, Kent and Water Newton, Cambridgeshire *Durovernum Cantiacorum (Latin), now Canterbury, Kent First element from Celtic *''duro-'' 'fort'; in ''Dūrobrīvae'', Celtic *''brīwa'' 'bridge' *Eskeleth, North Yorkshire Possibly derived from Brythonic *''iska'', 'water, fish' and *''leith'', 'damp, wet'. *River Exe, Exe (river), Devon/Somerset *Nether Exe, Devon *Up Exe, Devon *Exebridge, Devon *Exford, Somerset, Exford, Somerset *Exeter, Devon, Latin ''Isca Dumnoniorum'' *Exminster, Devon *Exmouth, Devon *Exton, Somerset, Exton, Somerset *Exwick, Devon From Celtic *''iska'' 'water' (Irish ''uisce''); second element in ''Isca Dumnoniorum'' (Exeter) is a tribal name (see ''Devon'') Frome from the Brythonic word Frama meaning fair, fine or brisk. *Leatherhead, Surrey From Brythonic *''lēd-'' [from Celtic *''leito-''] + *''rïd-'' [from Celtic *''(φ)ritu-''] = "Grey Ford" *Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Latin ''Lindum Colonia'' From Celtic *''lindo-'' 'pool' + Latin ''colonia'' 'colony' *Manchester, Latin ''Mamucium'' or ''Mancunium'' From Celtic *''mamm-'' 'breast' (referring to the shape of a hill) *Noviomagus (Latin), now Chichester, West Sussex and Crayford, Kent From Celtic *''nowijo-'' 'new' (Welsh ''newydd'') + *''magos'' 'field, plain' *Pen y Ghent, Yorkshire Equivalent with Welsh ''pen-y-gant'' ("summit of the border") or ''pen-y-gynt'' ("summit of the heathen"). *Pengethley, Herefordshire From Brythonic *''penn-'' 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh ''pen'') + possibly *''kelli'' 'to stand' (Welsh ''gelli'') *Pencoyd, Herefordshire *Penge, Greater London *Penketh, Cheshire From Brythonic *''penn-'' 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh ''pen'') + *''koid-'' 'wood' (Welsh ''coed''), or *''cēd-'' 'wood' *Pencraig, Herefordshire *Pendlebury, Greater Manchester *Pendleton, Lancashire, Pendleton, Lancashire *Pendock, Worcestershire First element from Brythonic *''penn-'' 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh ''pen'' 'head, end, chief, supreme') = Irish ''ceann'' 'head', from Proto-Celtic *''k^wenno-'' *Penn, Buckinghamshire, Penn, Buckinghamshire *Penn, West Midlands, Penn, West Midlands From Brythonic *''penn-'' 'hill' (Welsh ''pen'') *Lower Penn, Staffordshire From English ''lower'' + Brythonic *''penn-'' 'hill' * Penshaw, Sunderland From Brythonic *''penn''- 'hill' and possibly p-Celtic *''carr'' 'rocks'. This matches the earliest attestation from c. 1190, Pencher. Old Sarum, Wiltshire, Latin ''Sorviodūnum'' Second element from Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress' *Segedunum (Latin), now Wallsend, Tyne and Wear First element conjectured to be Celtic for 'victorious', 'strength' or 'dry' (Segedunum#Etymology, theories). Second element is Celtic *''dūnon'' 'fortress'. *Sinodun Hills, south Oxfordshire From Celtic *''seno-'' 'old' + *''dūnon'' 'fortress' *River Tamar, Tamar (river), Devon/Cornwall *River Tame, Greater Manchester, Tame (river), Greater Manchester *River Tame, North Yorkshire, Tame (river), North Yorkshire *River Tame, West Midlands, Tame (river), West Midlands *River Team, Team (river), Tyne and Wear *River Teme, Teme (river), Welsh ''Tefeidiad'', Wales/Shropshire/Worcestershire *River Thames, Thames (river), Latin Tamesis Possibly from Celtic *''tames-'' 'dark' (''cf''. Celtic *''temeslos'' > Welsh ''tywyll'' 'darkness'). River Tame, Greater Manchester#Toponomy, Other theories. *Trinovantum (Latin), now London 'Of the Trinovantes', a tribal name, perhaps 'very energetic people' from Celtic *''tri-'' (intensive) + *''now-'' 'energetic', related to *''nowijo-'' 'new' (Welsh ''newydd'') *Verulamium (Latin), now St Albans, Hertfordshire From Brittonic *''weru-'' 'broad' + *''lam-'' 'hand' [from Celtic *''(φ)lāmā''] (Welsh ''llaw'', Irish ''láimh'') *Vindobala (Latin), Roman fort in Northumberland *Vindolanda (Latin), Roman fort in Northumberland *Vindomora (Latin), Roman fort in County Durham. First element from Celtic *''windo-'' 'white' (Welsh ''gwyn''); in ''Vindolanda'', Celtic *''landā'' 'land, place' (Welsh ''llan''). In ''Vindomora'', second element could be 'sea' (Welsh ''môr'', Irish ''muir''). *Wigan, Greater Manchester *York, Greek ''Ebōrakon'', Latin ''Eboracum'' or ''Eburacum'' from Celtic *''eburo-'' 'yew'

Scotland

The post-6th century AD Brittonic languages of Northern England and Scotland were Cumbric and Pictish. Cumbric place-names are found in Scotland south of the River Forth, while Pictish names are found to the north. *Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire From ''*aber'' ("river mouth"). *Applecross, Ross-shire Formerly ''Abercrosan'', from ''aber'' ("river mouth"). *Isle of Arran, Arran Possibly equivalent to Middle Welsh ''aran'' ("high place"). *Aviemore, Inverness-shire ''An Aghaidh Mhòr'' in Gaelic, possibly involving Brittonic ''*ag-'' ("a cleft"). *Ben Lomond, Stirlingshire ''Lomond'' is equivalent to Welsh ''llumon'' ("beacon"). *Blantyre, Lanarkshire Equivalent to Welsh ''blaen'' ("extremes, source, front") + ''tir'' ("land"). *Blebo Craigs, Blebo, Fife Formerly ''Bladebolg'', from Brittonic ''*blawd'' ("meal") + ''*bolg'' ("sack"). *Burnturk, Fife Formerly ''Brenturk'', equivalent to Welsh ''bryntwrch'' ("boar hill"). *Dallas, Moray, Dallas, Moray Equivalent to Welsh ''dôl'' ("haugh, meadow") + ''gwas'' ("abode"). *Darnaway, Moray Ultimately from ancient Brittonic ''Taranumagos'' ("tunder-plain"). *Daviot, Highland, Daviot, Inverness-shire Perhaps from Brittonic ''*dem-'' meaning "sure, strong". *Dull, Perth and Kinross, Dull, Perthshire Equivalent to Welsh ''dôl'' ("haugh, meadow"). *Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire Possibly equivalent to Welsh ''eglwysfechan'' ("small church"). *Edinburgh, Midlothian From ''Din Ediyn'', from a Brittonic form meaning "fort of Ediyn" (c.f. Welsh ''din''). *Esslemont Castle, Esslemont, Aberdeenshire Equivalent to Welsh ''iselfynydd'' ("low hill"). *Glasgo, Aberdeenshire See Glasgow, Lanarkshire below. *Glasgow, Lanarkshire Equivalent to Welsh ''glascau'' ("blue hollow"). *Hebrides ''Ebudes'' in Ptolemy (c. 140 AD), possibly from ancient Brittonic ''ep-'' ("a horse"; c.f. Welsh ''ebol'').Alex Woolf, Woolf, Alex (2012
''Ancient Kindred? Dál Riata and the Cruthin''
Academia.edu. Retrieved 21 January 2015. *Keith, Moray, Keith, Banffshire Equivalent to Welsh ''coed'' ("wood, forest"). *Lanark, Lanarkshire Equivalent to Welsh ''llanerch'' ("a glade"). *Landrick, Perthshire See Lanark, Lanarkshire. *Lanrick, Perthshire See Lanark, Lanarkshire. *Lauder, Berwickshire Equivalent either to Middle Breton ''louazr'' or Welsh ''llawedrawr''. *Lendrick, Kinross-shire. See Lanark, Lanarkshire. *Lendrick, Perthshire See Lanark, Lanarkshire. *Lomond Hills, Fife See Ben Lomond, Stirlingshire. *Mayish, Arran Possibly from Brittonic ''maɣes'' ("field"; Welsh ''maes''). *Meggernie Castle, Meggernie, Perthshire From an element cognate with Welsh ''migwernydd'' ("boggy meadow"). *Methven, Perth and Kinross, Methven, Perthshire Equivalent to Welsh ''meddfaen'' ("meadstone"). *Midmar, Aberdeenshire Equivalent to Welsh ''mig(n)'' ("bog, swamp") + ''Marr'' (a district name). *Migvie Castle, Migvie, Aberdeenshire Equivalent to Welsh ''mig(n)'' ("bog, swamp"). *Mounth, Perthshire, Angus and Aberdeenshire Equivalent to Welsh ''mynydd'' ("mountain, moor, hill"). *Ochil Hills, Fife Probably from Common Brittonic ''*okelon'' ("a ridge"). *River Orchy, Orchy, Argyll (river) In Gaelic ''Urchaidh'', from ancient Brittonic ''are-cētia'' ("on the wood"). *Panbride, Angus From ''pant'' ("a hollow"). *Panlathy, Angus From ''pant'' ("a hollow"). *Panmure, Angus Equivalent to Welsh ''pantmawr'' ("big hollow"). *Pendewen, Angus First element is possibly equivalent to Welsh ''pen'' ("head, top, summit, source"). *Penicuik, Midlothian Equivalent to Welsh ''pen-y-cog'' ("summit of the cuckoo"). *Pennan, Aberdeenshire Probably equivalent to Welsh ''pen'' ("head, top, summit, source"). *Pennygant Hill, Roxburghshire See Pen y Ghent, Yorkshire, England. *Perth, Scotland, Perth, Perthshire Probably equivalent to Welsh ''perth'' ("bush"). *Pinderachy, Anugs First element is possibly equivalent to Welsh ''pen'' ("head, top, summit, source"). *Pinnel, Fife Possibly equivalent to Welsh ''pen'' ("head, top, summit, source"). *Pulrossie, Sutherland Possibly equivalent to Welsh ''pwllrhos'' ("promontory pool"). *Rattray, Aberdeenshire, Rattray, Aberdeenshire Equivalent to Welsh ''rhawdtref'' ("ramparts town"). *Urquhart, Ross-shire Formerly ''Airdchartdan'', equivalent to Middle Welsh ''ar-cardden'' ("on the enclosure"). *Yell, Shetland, Yell, Shetland Probably from Common Brittonic ''iâla'' ("unfruitful land, pasture").

Wales

The vast majority of placenames in Wales (part of the United Kingdom) are either

or anglicized Welsh.

Cornwall

The vast majority of placenames in Cornwall are either Cornish or anglicized Cornish. For examples, see List of places in Cornwall.

Brittany

The vast majority of placenames in the west of Brittany (part of France) are either

or derived from Breton. For examples, see :Populated places in Brittany.

Notes

{{reflist Celtic toponyms, * Toponymy Place name etymologies