{"id":31621,"date":"2014-04-08T00:09:20","date_gmt":"2014-04-08T07:09:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/?p=31621"},"modified":"2014-04-08T03:16:45","modified_gmt":"2014-04-08T10:16:45","slug":"origins-names-historic-english-counties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/index.php\/2014\/04\/origins-names-historic-english-counties\/","title":{"rendered":"The Origins of the Names of the Historic English Counties"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"england-flag\"<\/a>Today I found out<\/a> the origins of the names of England\u2019s historic counties.<\/p>\n

Bedfordshire<\/b><\/p>\n

Bedfordshire is likely named after Beda, a Saxon chief who settled on River Great Ouse, which runs through the county. The settlement probably started as something like \u201cBeda\u2019s Ford\u201d which was then shortened to Bedford.<\/p>\n

Berkshire<\/b><\/p>\n

When it was founded, Berkshire was Bearrocscir<\/i>. Bearroc<\/i> is thought to be a Celtic word meaning \u201chilly place,\u201d while scir<\/i> was an old word for shire. The name eventually evolved into the Berkshire we know today.<\/p>\n

Buckinghamshire<\/b><\/p>\n

The origin of the name of this county is somewhat up for debate, but it\u2019s believed that Bucking<\/i> is derived from the Saxon word buccen<\/i>, which meant either \u201cbeech trees\u201d or \u201cdeer.\u201d The ham<\/i> ending means \u201chomestead.\u201d So, it was a home of either beech trees or deer, depending on who you talk to.<\/p>\n

Cambridgeshire<\/b><\/p>\n

The Old English word for this area is Grontabricc<\/i>, which meant \u201cBridge over the River Granta.\u201d It is unknown what Granta means. Under Norman influence, the area soon became known as Cambridge. Cam<\/i> is a Celtic word meaning \u201ccrooked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheshire<\/b><\/p>\n

Not just referring to a grinning cat, this county name is short for \u201cChester shire.\u201d Chester comes from the Old English cestre<\/i>, which in turn is derived from the word legacaestir,<\/i> meaning \u201cCity of Legions.\u201d Chester was often used to denote a Roman town.<\/p>\n

Cornwall<\/b><\/p>\n

Cornwall has nothing to do with the vegetable discovered in America centuries later. It is taken from the Celtic tribe Cornowii, which literally meant \u201cpeninsula people.\u201d It comes from the Celtic word kernou<\/i>, which meant horn, referring to the \u201chorn\u201d of land on which these people lived. \u201cWall\u201d comes from the Old English wahl<\/i> which meant \u201cstranger.\u201d Cornwall therefore means \u201cstrangers from the peninsula.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cumberland<\/b><\/p>\n

Cumberland started out as Cumbra land<\/i>, which meant \u201cland of the Cymry.\u201d Cymry<\/i> means \u201cthe Welsh,\u201d and in turn comes from the ancient word combrox<\/i>, which means \u201ccompatriot.\u201d Interestingly, Cumberland (now part of Cumbria) is not on the Welsh border.<\/p>\n

Derbyshire<\/b><\/p>\n

There are a few different origin theories for Derby. First, that it came from the Danish Djura-by<\/i>, which meant \u201cdeer settlement.\u201d Second, that it came from the River Derwent, which runs through the county. The town became known as Derwent by<\/i>, which meant \u201csettlement near Derwent.\u201d This was later shortened to Derby. Derwent<\/i> means \u201ca valley of oaks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Devon<\/b><\/p>\n

This shire derives its name from the Old English word defena<\/i>, which meant \u201cterritory of the Dumnonii.\u201d The Dumnonii were an old Celtic tribe who ruled the area from the Iron Age to the era of the Saxons. Their name either meant \u201cdeep valley dwellers\u201d or had something to do with the Celtic goddess of the deep, Domnu.<\/p>\n

Dorset<\/b><\/p>\n

The origin of Dorset is unclear. It\u2019s believed to be derived from the tribe that lived there, the Durotriges. Most people believe that \u201cDurotriges\u201d comes from the Welsh word dwr,<\/i> which meant \u201cwater\u201d\u2014therefore, the name meant \u201cwater dwellers.\u201d However, it could also come from the Cornish word dur,<\/i> which means \u201cland.\u201d Therefore, the Durotriges could be \u201cland-dwellers\u201d instead.<\/p>\n

Durham<\/b><\/p>\n

This place was originally Dunholm, made up of the Old English word dun<\/i> (hill) and the Scandinavian holmr<\/i> (city). Therefore, it meant \u201ccity on a hill.\u201d The n<\/i> got switched to an r<\/i> in Norman times.<\/p>\n

Essex<\/b><\/p>\n

This is the shortened version of the Old English East-Seaxe<\/i>, which meant \u201cEast Saxons.\u201d The word has been around since around the 7th<\/sup> Century, when the East Saxons had a kingdom in the area.<\/p>\n

Gloucestershire<\/b><\/p>\n

This name developed from the Old English Gleawceaster, which was taken from the Celtic word Glevo<\/i>, meaning \u201cbright place.\u201d The cester is from chester,<\/i> just like Cheshire, which denotes an old Roman town.<\/p>\n

Hampshire<\/b><\/p>\n

Ham<\/i> means \u201chomestead.\u201d It\u2019s likely that the \u201cp\u201d was eventually tacked on (such as in Thompson). This county was originally South Hamptonshire, then Hamptonshire, and was eventually shortened to just Hampshire. (The \u201cton\u201d in Hampton is also just a form of homestead.)<\/p>\n

Herefordshire<\/b><\/p>\n

In Anglo-Saxon, here<\/i> meant \u201cinvading Vikings.\u201d Ford, of course, meant a river crossing. Therefore, this word meant \u201ca place where armies could cross.\u201d It likely refers to an army crossing the River Wye.<\/p>\n

Hertfordshire<\/b><\/p>\n

This one comes from the Old English Herutford<\/i>, which means \u201ca ford frequented by harts.\u201d A hart is a male deer usually over the age of five.<\/p>\n

Huntingdonshire<\/b><\/p>\n

In Old English, this was Huntandun<\/i>. The dun<\/i> part means \u201chill,\u201d while huntan<\/i> meant \u201chuntsman.\u201d So, Huntingdon means \u201chill of the huntsman.\u201d It\u2019s also possible that this name means \u201chill of Hunta,\u201d with Hunta being the name of a person.<\/p>\n

Kent<\/b><\/p>\n

There are a couple of ideas about the place name Kent. First, that it is related to the Old English word cennan<\/i>, \u201cto tell or make known.\u201d Second, that it is an ancient Celtic word that meant \u201ccoastal district.\u201d As it is on the coast, the latter wouldn\u2019t be out of place.<\/p>\n

Lancashire<\/b><\/p>\n

The River Lune runes through Lancashire and gives the city of Lancaster (and then the county of Lancashire) its name. In Old English, Lancaster was Loncastre<\/i>. Lon<\/i> referred to the River Lune, while castre<\/i> meant \u201cfort.\u201d That means Lancashire refers to \u201cthe fort on the River Lune.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leicestershire<\/b><\/p>\n

This county has partially unknown origins. The name is a shortened version of ligera ceister<\/i>, which means \u201cRoman town of the Ligore people.\u201d Unfortunately, we don\u2019t know what Ligore<\/i> means.<\/p>\n

Lincolnshire<\/b><\/p>\n

Lincoln likely means \u201clake or pool,\u201d and ultimately stems from an Old English word lindo.<\/i> This was taken by the Romans who Latinized the word and named the area Lindum Colonia<\/i>, which was ultimately shortened to Lincoln.<\/p>\n

Middlesex<\/b><\/p>\n

Much like Essex, this one means \u201cland of the Middle Saxons,\u201d who had a kingdom in the area. This included an early part of London.<\/p>\n

Norfolk<\/b><\/p>\n

Literally, \u201cthe north folk.\u201d It comes from Nordfolc<\/i> and refers to people who live in the north.<\/p>\n

Northamptonshire<\/b><\/p>\n

As you might have guessed from reading that \u201cHampshire\u201d used to be South Hamptonshire, this has the same origin, namely-\u00a0 Ham<\/i> means \u201chomestead.\u201d And it\u2019s likely that the \u201cp\u201d was eventually tacked on for the same reason we have a p in Thompson.\u00a0 (The \u201cton\u201d in Hampton is also just a form of homestead.)<\/p>\n

Northumberland<\/b><\/p>\n

This is the name of an old kingdom that lay north of the Humber River, thus \u201cNorthumber.\u201d There are a few theories about the word Humber: first, that it\u2019s derived from the Latin umbro<\/i>, meaning \u201cto cover in shadows.\u201d Second, that it could come from an ancient word meaning \u201criver.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nottinghamshire<\/b><\/p>\n

Nottinghamshire has some snotty origins. It used to be known as Snotengaham, which meant \u201chome of Snot\u2019s people.\u201d Snot was likely a man of Anglo-Saxon origins making his home in the area. (Not the best choice to name your child\u2026)<\/p>\n

Oxfordshire<\/b><\/p>\n

This one isn\u2019t too difficult to guess: it literally means \u201cwhere the oxen cross the river.\u201d It comes from the Old English Oxnaforda<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Rutland<\/b><\/p>\n

Rutland might stem from Ruthland<\/i>, or land belonging to the Ruth people of Essex. However, it\u2019s also been written as Roteland, which makes that etymology unlikely. Another idea is that it comes from the Old English word hrythr<\/i>, which means \u201ccattle.\u201d So, it was the land of the cattle.<\/p>\n

Shropshire<\/b><\/p>\n

This is a shortened form of Shrewsbury, which comes from Scrobbesbyrig<\/i>, meaning \u201ca fortified place in the scrub.\u201d Anglo-French scribes changed it to Sarop<\/i> to make it easier for them to pronounce, and eventually it evolved into Shropsbury<\/i> and then Shrewsbury.<\/i><\/p>\n

Somerset<\/b><\/p>\n

The Celts had named the area \u201cGwald yr haf\u201d which meant \u201cland of summer.\u201d When the Anglo-Saxons came along, they kept the meaning and called the area Somerset.<\/p>\n

Staffordshire<\/b><\/p>\n

In Old English, staed<\/i> meant \u201criverbank,\u201d and ford,<\/i> as you already know, means \u201ccrossing.\u201d Staf<\/i> evolved from staed<\/i>, so Stafford means \u201ccrossing by the riverbank.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suffolk<\/b><\/p>\n

Along the lines of Norfolk, Suffolk simply means \u201csouth folk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Surrey<\/b><\/p>\n

Surrey comes from suder<\/i>, which means \u201csouth.\u201d In this case, Surrey is south in relation to Middlesex.<\/p>\n

Sussex<\/b><\/p>\n

Yet another southerly directional name, this one is similar to Essex and Middlesex in that it means \u201cSouth Saxons,\u201d who had a kingdom in the area.<\/p>\n

Warwickshire<\/b><\/p>\n

Warwickshire evolved from Waerincwicumscir<\/i>. Breaking it apart, you get \u201cweir\u201d and \u201cwic.\u201d A weir<\/i> is a river dam, and wic<\/i> meant \u201cdwelling.\u201d Therefore, it means \u201cdwelling by the riverdam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Westmorland<\/b><\/p>\n

This one is also pretty easy to figure out: it\u2019s a slightly shortened version of \u201cwest moorland.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiltshire<\/b><\/p>\n

Wiltshire, previously known as Wiltonshire, is named after the River Wylye, a name which might mean \u201ctricky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Worcestershire<\/b><\/p>\n

Another Chester<\/i> or \u201cRoman town\u201d name, the wor<\/i> part of this name comes from Weogora<\/i>, which is the name of a tribe that once lived there. Weogora<\/i> possibly means \u201cwinding river.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yorkshire<\/b><\/p>\n

York comes from the word Eboracum,<\/i> which likely came from the Celtic word Eborkon<\/i>, meaning \u201cyew tree.\u201d<\/p>\n

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