From Abbas Combe to Zennor, this dictionary gives the meaning and origin of place names in the British Isles, tracing their development from earliest times to the present day.

An exploration of the landscape of Anglo-Saxon England, particularly through the prism of place-names and what they can reveal.

The origin of the names of many English towns, hamlets and villages date as far back as Saxon times, when kings like Alfred the Great established fortified borough towns to defend against the Danes. A number of settlements were established and named by French Normans following the Conquest. Many are even older and are derived from Roman placenames. Some hark back to the Vikings who invaded our shores and established settlements in the eighth and ninth centuries. Most began as simple descriptions of the location; some identified its founder, marked territorial limits, or gave tribal people a sense of their place in the grand scheme of things. Whatever their derivation, placenames are inextricably bound up in our history and they tell us a great deal about the place where we live.

A unique gazetteer that clearly explains the fascinating origins and meanings behind the names of over 1,700 places, streets, and areas within the English capital, including the Greater London Boroughs. It also features maps, an extended introduction on the development of these place-names, a detailed glossary, and recommended web links.

"Includes over 11,000 entries. This dictionary explores the history, meanings, and origin of place names around the world. It covers continents, countries, regions, islands, bays, capes, cities, towns, deserts, lakes, mountains, and rivers, giving the name in the local language as well as key historical facts associated with many place names. The fourth edition includes updates to French regions and to Ukrainian place names. In addition to the entries themselves, the dictionary includes a glossary of foreign word elements which appear in place names and their meaning, as well as a list of personalities and leaders who have influenced the naming of places around the world"--Publisher.

This is the first thorough, authoritative study of the place-names of the entire pre-1974 Flintshire, scholarly in substance, readable in presentation, with its selection of names based on the OS Landranger 1:50,000 map. The entry for each of the 800 names presents a grid reference, documentary and oral evidence with dates, derivation and meaning, and a discussion of the significance of the name in terms of history, language, landscape and industrial associations. Additionally, comparisons are drawn with similar names in other parts of Wales and the UK, and the later linguistic development of names is charted in light of the particular influences of a bilingual society.

Containing entries for more than 45,000 English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Cornish, and immigrant surnames, The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland is the ultimate reference work on family names of the UK. The Dictionary includes every surname that currently has more than 100 bearers. Each entry contains lists of variant spellings of the name, an explanation of its origins (including the etymology), lists of early bearers showing evidence for formation and continuity from the date of formation down to the 19th century, geographical distribution, and, where relevant, genealogical and bibliographical notes, making this a fully comprehensive work on family names. This authoritative guide also includes an introductory essay explaining the historical background, formation, and typology of surnames and a guide to surnames research and family history research. Additional material also includes a list of published and unpublished lists of surnames from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Victor Watt's reference work comprises a completely new compilation, based on the archives of the English Place-Name Society. It reflects the most recent scholarship for all names of cities, towns, villages, hamlets, rivers, streams, hills and other geographical locations included in the Ordnance Survey Road Atlas of Great Britain (1983), with many more recent additions. The Dictionary will be of interest to geographers, historians, historical linguists and language scholars.

This combination of catalogue and analysis argues that many more major place names in England predate the Anglo-Saxon invasion than has previously been thought. Others enshrine early names with a complex structure, often reflecting the influence of geographical features. Introductory chapters examine names with a non-Celtic origin, including London, Brittonic river names, such as Poulter, Test and Weaver, and early Irish names in England. Regional chapters contain fully-referenced articles which trace the development of specific names through Saxon and medieval sources, notably Domesday . A number of the articles have been previously published in journals but have since been revised. Includes a gazetteer of names.