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.

Cecily Clark (1926-1992) is familiar to medievalists as editor of the Peterborough Chronicle; others will know her work in Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman and Middle English studies, in particular her extensive researches in medieval English onomastics. She lectured at the universities of London, Edinburgh and Aberdeen before settling in Cambridge as Research Fellow of, successively, Newnham College and Clare Hall. She was past joint editor of Nomina, a Council member of the English Place-Name Society, and a member of the International Committee of Onomastic Sciences.

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 Additional material also includes a list of published and unpublished lists of surnames from the Middle Ages to the present day.