Field names are not only interesting in themselves, but also a rich source of information about the communities originating them. The earliest recorded names often describe only the location or nature of the land, but changes in language, technology, social organisation, land ownership and even religious and political thinking have all contributed to a surprisingly complex picture today. A pioneering history.

Defines the meanings of American surnames and lists their geographical origins.

This volume drawn from the 20th International Conference on English Historical Linguistics (ICEHL, Edinburgh 2018) focuses on the role of language contact in the history of English. It showcases a wide variety of historical linguistic approaches, including ‘big data’ analyses of large corpora, dialectological methods, and the study of translated texts. It also breaks new ground by applying relevant insights from other fields, among them postcolonial linguistics and anthropology. This pluralistic approach brings new and under-studied issues within the scope of explanation, and challenges some long-held assumptions about the nature of historical change in English. The volume will be of interest to an audience interested in the history of English, and the impact of its contact with Viking Age Norse, Old French, and Latin.

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.

The most recent cutting-edge scholarship on the tenth, eleventh and twelfth centuries.

Since this work on English place-names was first published in 1961, a great deal of research has been undertaken, and material has been published which is of importance to the interpretation of individual names and the understanding of the significance of groups of place-names. This revised and updated edition explains the technique of place-name study, examines the types of place-name formation, both ancient and modern, and includes a new chapter on modern place-names. It covers names of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian and French origin, those with Christian and pagan signifance, those illustrating social and legal customs, and other associations.

How has the place we live in changed, developed, and grown over the centuries? That is the basic question local historians seek to answer. The answer is to be found in the sources of information that previous generations have left us. The records of parish, county, and diocesan administration, of the courts, of the national government, and of private estates, all have something to tell us about the history of the locality we are interested in. So do old newspapers and other publications. All of these sources are readily available, but many have been little used. Local historians come from a wide diversity of backgrounds. But whether you are a student researching a dissertation, a family historian interested in the wider background history of your family, a teacher, a librarian, an archivist, an academic, or are merely interested in the history of your own area, this book is for you. If you want to research local history, you need a detailed account of the myriad sources readily available. This book provides a comprehensive overview of those sources, and its guidance will enable you to explore and exploit their vast range. It poses the questions which local historians ask, and identifies the specific sources likely to answer those questions.