Get ideas for baby names or discover your own names history. The origin and etymology of current geographical names was issued in. Family names of the island of newfoundland roots to the past. This french surname is an occupational surname for barber derived from old french name barbier. List of place names of french origin in the united states. Newton new town or enclosed settlement was given to the burgilons now newton burgoland. It is a french surname that comes from the french word about, meaning an extremity of a metallic or wooden element or piece. Wide application in english covers meanings that in french require three words. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. From the old french form of the occitan name alienor. I bought a book today titled to the point towns and villages of trinidad and tobago by michael. Have you ever asked yourself why something is called by a particular name. Most often the names of places are related to the original people that founded the settlement and they can often be attributed to the landscape, animals, vegetation or social. Other theories claim a hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as high mountain or exalted.
Another volume for every local historians bookshelf local historianthis revised edition of the dictionary of british placenames includes over 17,000 engaging and informative entries, tracing the development of the featured place names from earliest times to the present day. Baby names of french origin french baby names are the names used in france and other french speaking parts of the world but also in many english speaking countries. From a place name mentioned briefly in the new testament. Even so, the use of surnames did not become common for several centuries. From a french surname that was derived from a place name meaning stony. The origin and etymology of current geographical names was issued in a fourth edition in 1998. Find the meaning, history and origin of surnames, also called last names or family names, as well as famous bearers and usage statistics. But in fact, these names reveal a hidden and fascinating history. There are pure french names that later were shaped by english influence. Some authorities say that, the name is derived from the name of an indian chief, whose name translated into french was baton rouge. The meaning and history of surnames behind the name names.
Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. In this new and enlarged edition of his popular book, the author has added not only a number of new entries but also new information to existing entries. Culture why does britain have such bizarre place names. The congo river also called the zaire river was named after the kingdom. In north america this is often a translation of french surnames such as lepre and dupre. Thanks for contributing an answer to linguistics stack exchange. Take a journey down winding lanes and roman roads in this witty and informative guide to the meanings behind the names of englands.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the prairie surname lived. One view, expounded by the venerable bede in the 8th century, was that it derived from eostre, or eostrae, the anglosaxon goddess of spring and fertility. The most likely origin of the name versailles, first mentioned in 1038. Lansargues, baillargues, saturargues the list is endless.
Several thousand place names in the united states have names of french origin, some a legacy of past french exploration and rule over much of the land and some in honor of french help during the american revolution and the founding of the country see also. The meaning and history of first names behind the name. Italian giacomo, portuguese jaime, a deriative version of latin iacobus, latin form of the hebrew name, jacob. Find the meaning, history and popularity of given names from around the world. Etymology of place english words and greek cognates. The english word easter, which parallels the german word ostern, is of uncertain origin. I heard about this book about a dozen years ago but never back then did i think id own a copy. Hi i am new to this site and hoping that it is ok to ask a nonenglish question. In fact, the etymology of certain characters names can reveal more about them than you ever thought you knew the joy of harry potters name was that it seemed like one so delightfully ordinary for someone who achieved so much. The most likely origin of the name versailles, first mentioned in 1038 as land belonging to a person named hughes, comes from the latin word versare which means to turn over verser, reverser in french and probably referred to hughess agricultural efforts of clearing and preparing his land for planting. In much of the old world the names of many places cannot easily be interpreted or understood. Others were named after early americans of french, especially huguenot, ancestry marion. This is a list of place names in which the origin is old english.
The appellative, homme, is identical to the french word meaning, man, but is pronounced. This is a list of names in which the gender is masculine. In some cases the native meanings of a place name are wholly lost, despite guesses and theories, for example tampa and oregon. Place name origins news newspapers books scholar jstor february.
But the norman french did not settle in with the same comfort as the. App for pronunciation of french names and places france. Imagine my surprise when i discovered that erwin g. Place names in the united states tend to be more easily traceable to their origins, such as towns simply named after the founder or an important politician of the time, with no alterations except a simple suffix, like. The original edition must have been a good seller because secondhand copies i found on. Coming from the medieval french word surnom, which translates as aboveorover name, descriptive surnames names trace their use in france back to the 11th century when it first became necessary to add a second name to distinguish between individuals with the same given name. The invasion also led to french versions of english originals, such as rievaulx, translated from ryedale. Online etymology dictionaries for french, beyond cntrl. In the old testament this name is borne by the older brother of moses. In a more restricted sense, the term to ponymy refers to an invento ry of to ponyms, while the discipline researchi ng such names is referred to as toponomastics. In the old testament this name is borne by the older.
Weve learned paris was named for the celtic tribe the parisii who lived in the area why the parisii were called that is still up for discussion, that the seine was named for the nymph sequana. Cognate italian piazza and spanish plaza retain more of the etymological sense. This french surname is a derivative of barrer, which means to bar, to close or block off. All that being said, the most accepted name origin is the miamiillinois word shikaakwa, which means striped skunk or smelly onion. Do you know if there is an app that allows me to key in the spelling of such words and produces the pronunciation in audio form.
Many french babby names are used in other countries and many english names, latin names and greek names are used in france, as a result of globalization. French names are used in france and other french speaking regions. The origin of the name is wildly contested among academics due to the small number of documents contemporary to the time of chicagos establishment that actually discuss how it was named. English words for place include square, spot, room, space, position, seat, plaza, stead and piazza. The final s in the english first names is typical of those borrowed from old french, where it was the former masculine subject case cf. We live part time in languedoc just west of provence and a huge number of village names in the area end in argues. An 1887 handbook for travellers asserts that the etymology of london is the same as that of lincoln latin lindum. Included place names range from the familiar to the obscure, among them beer, findlater, broadbottom, and.
Old english was the west germanic language spoken by the anglosaxons who inhabited ancient england. And compare french livre book, from latin librum, originally the inner bark of. Old english bocian to grant or assign by charter, from book n. Toponomastics is the study of place names and experts within the field often work tirelessly, attempting to deduce the origins of place names, how they were given and why.
Etymology of place the word place open space in a city, square, area, location comes from the old french place from the late latin placea place, spot from the latin platea courtyard, open space, broad street, which is a transliteration of the greek plateia open space in a city, square from the greek adjective plateia. The meaning and history of surnames behind the name. What are some places in australia that have a french name. Ad mills calls severn an ancient preenglish river name of doubtful etymology. Nearly 3,600 counties, cities, mountains, and lakes are listed alphabetically, with such information as origin of name, date of founding and abandonment of towns, existence of a post office, changes of name, and other pertinent details.
The french names along australias southern coast are testimony to the fact that the french certainly explored around australia, expressing some interest in the continent. Topo nymy itself is a branch of onomastics, the stu dy of names of all kinds. This view presumesas does the view associating the origin of christmas on december 25 with pagan. An open space, particularly a city square, market square, or courtyard. One of the biggest books i own is family names of the island of newfoundland by e. I have no idea and baldock, whose name derives from the old french for baghdad. Dictionary of british place names oxford reference. He was also a scholar, and he translated many latin books into old english.
French baby names are exotic and most have an excellent linguistic hearing. Aharon, which is most likely of unknown egyptian origin. Among the names earliest bearers was the influential eleanor of aquitaine 12th century, who was the queen of louis vii, the king of france, and later henry ii, the king of england. It was founded by the knights templar, who wanted to attract.