Ancient Origin Place Names

This is a list of place names in which the origin is Ancient.
type
usage
origin
Trefor (Settlement) Welsh
Means "big village" from Middle Welsh tref "village" and maur "large". This is the name of a few towns in Wales.
Trenton (Settlement) English
Means "Trent's town". This is the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent.
Troia (Settlement) Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Greek form of Troy.
Troie (Settlement) French
French form of Troy.
Trója (Settlement) Czech, Slovak, Hungarian
Czech, Slovak and Hungarian form of Troy.
Troja (Settlement) German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Croatian, Serbian
Form of Troy in several languages.
Troje (Settlement) Dutch
Dutch form of Troy.
Troy (Settlement) Greek Mythology, English
From Greek Τροία (Troia), said to derive from its mythical founder Τρώς (Tros), but more likely of Luwian or Hittite origin. In Greek mythology (most notably in Homer's Iliad) this was the name of a city, also called Ilium, that was besieged by the Greeks after Helen was abducted by Paris 1.
Tschechoslowakei (Country) German
German form of Czechoslovakia.
Tuonouwa (River) Old High German
Old High German form of Danube.
Turan (Region) Persian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Arabic
Historical region in central Asia, originally inhabited by nomadic Iranian peoples and traditionally said to mean "land of Tur". It is mentioned frequently in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Turchia (Country) Italian
Italian form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Turcia (Country) Late Roman
Latin form of Turkey.
Türkei (Country) German
German form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Turkey (Country) English
From Latin Turcia, derived from the ethnonym Turk, which is from Old Turkic possibly meaning "ancestry". This is the name of a country situated on the Anatolian peninsula. It is called Türkiye in Turkish.
Turkije (Country) Dutch
Dutch form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Turkye (Country) Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Turkey.
Turquía (Country) Spanish
Spanish form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Turquia (Country) Portuguese, Catalan
Portuguese and Catalan form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Turquie (Country) French
French form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Turska (Country) Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian
Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Turtsiya (Country) Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Turcia (see Turkey).
Tyrone (Political Subdivision) Irish
From Irish Gaelic Tir Eoghain meaning "land of Eoghan". This is the name of a county in Northern Ireland.
Tyskland (Country) Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Swedish, Norwegian and Danish form of Deutschland.
Tzortzia (Political Subdivision) Greek
Greek form of Georgia 2.
Ufratu (River) Old Persian
Old Persian form of Euphrates.
Undistan (Country) Kazakh
Kazakh form of Hendustan.
Ungaria (Country) Romanian
Romanian form of Hungary.
Ungārija (Country) Latvian
Latvian form of Hungary.
Ungarn (Country) German, Danish, Norwegian
German, Danish and Norwegian form of Hungary.
Ungern (Country) Swedish
Swedish form of Hungary.
Ungheria (Country) Italian
Italian form of Hungary.
United Kingdom (Country) English
The name of a Western European island country, composed of the smaller countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is almost always written with the definite article the. This name came into use in the year 1801, when the realm was officially renamed from the Kingdom of Great Britain to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. After Ireland became independent in 1922 it was formally renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
United States (Country) English
The name of a country in North America, almost always written with the definite article the. The country is officially named the United States of America, and is also commonly called America or the USA. It was selected in 1776 when 13 British colonies on the eastern coast united to declare their independence from Britain. Etymologically, the English words in the name are both of Latin origin (unitus and status).
Unkari (Country) Finnish
Finnish form of Hungary.
Upton (Settlement) English
From Old English upp "up" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.
Urartu (Region) Akkadian, Armenian, English
From Akkadian 𒆳𒌨𒌒𒂅 (Urartu), meaning unknown, possibly of Old Armenian origin. This was the name of an ancient kingdom that existed between the 9th and 6th centuries BC in eastern Anatolia (modern Armenia and Turkey).
Urdun (River & Country) Arabic
Arabic form of Jordan, usually written with the definite article: الأردن (al-ʾUrdun).
Uruk (Settlement) Akkadian, English
From Sumerian 𒌷 (uru) meaning "city". This was the name of a city-state of ancient Sumer (later Akkad and Babylonia). It was inhabited until the time of the Islamic conquest of the area.
Uzbekistán (Country) Spanish, Czech
Spanish and Czech form of Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan (Country) English, Russian, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Swedish
From Uzbek Oʻzbekiston, derived from the ethnic name Oʻzbek (which is probably in part from Turkic beg meaning "chieftain, master") combined with the Persian suffix ستان (stān) meaning "land of". This is the name of a country in central Asia.
Uzbekiston (Country) Tajik
Tajik form of Uzbek Ўзбекистон (see Uzbekistan).
Uzbekystan (Country) Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Uzbek Ўзбекистон (see Uzbekistan).
Valachia (Region) Late Roman
Latin form of Wallachia.
Valahia (Region) Romanian
Romanian form of Wallachia. The region is typically called Țara Românească in Romanian.
Valence (Settlement & Region) French
French form of Valencia.
València (Settlement & Region) Catalan
Catalan (Valencian) form of Valencia.
Valencia (Settlement & Region) Spanish, Italian, English, German
The name of a city and surrounding region in eastern Spain, originally named in Latin Valentia (Edetanorum) meaning "strength (of the Edetani people)", and derived from Latin valentius "strength, vigour", from valens "strong, vigorous". Besides the city in Spain, this is also the name of a city in Venezuela.
Valentia (Settlement & Region) Ancient Roman
Latin form of Valencia.
Valhal (Other) Norse Mythology
Danish form of Valhalla.
Valhall (Other) Norse Mythology
Swedish and Norwegian form of Valhalla.
Valhalla (Other) Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Valhǫll meaning "hall of the battle-dead", from valr meaning "those slain in battle" and hǫll meaning "hall, manor". In Norse mythology this is the name of Odin's enormous hall where half of all warriors go after they die.
Valhǫll (Other) Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Valhalla.
Vanga (Region) Sanskrit
An ancient kingdom located in what is now eastern India and Bangladesh. Its meaning is uncertain.
Varšava (Settlement) Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian and Slovene form of Warszawa (see Warsaw).
Varsavia (Settlement) Italian
Italian form of Warszawa (see Warsaw).
Varsovie (Settlement) French
French form of Warszawa (see Warsaw).
Vashington (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Russian
Russian form of Washington.
Vashynhton (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Washington.
Venecia (Settlement) Spanish
Spanish form of Venice.
Venecuela (Country) Serbian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Croatian
Serbian, Macedonian and Bosnian form of Venezuela, as well as a Croatian variant.
Venedig (Settlement) German, Swedish, Danish
German, Swedish and Danish form of Venice.
Venesuela (Country) Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Azerbaijani, Georgian
Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Azerbaijani and Georgian form of Venezuela.
Venetia (Region & Settlement) Ancient Roman, Late Roman, Greek
From the name of the Veneti people who inhabited northeastern Italy in ancient times. Their tribal name possibly meant something like "kinfolk" or "friendly". This was the Latin name for the region now called Veneto, and later the Latin name for the city of Venice (which did not exist in the classical period).
Vénétie (Political Subdivision) French
French form of Veneto.
Venetien (Political Subdivision) German
German form of Veneto.
Veneto (Political Subdivision) Italian, English
The name of a region in northeastern Italy, called Venetia in Latin, named after the Veneti people who lived there in ancient times.
Venetsuela (Country) Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Venezuela.
Venezia (Settlement) Italian, Norwegian
Italian form of Venetia, referring to the city of Venice.
Venezouela (Country) Greek
Greek form of Venezuela.
Venezuela (Country) Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Turkish, Indonesian, Malay
Possibly from Italian Veneziola meaning "little Venice". This is the name of a country on the northern coast of South America. The region was supposedly named this in 1499 by a Spanish expedition (which included Amerigo Vespucci) because an indigenous town on Lake Maracaibo was built on stilts over the water, reminiscent of the Italian city. Another theory suggests that the country's name comes from Veneciuela, the name of a local people.
Vengrija (Country) Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Hungary.
Vengriya (Country) Russian
Russian form of Hungary.
Venice (Settlement) English
From Italian Venezia, derived from Latin Venetia. This is the name of a city of northeastern Italy, the capital of the Veneto region, famous for its canals.
Venise (Settlement) French
French form of Venice.
Venkata (Mountain) Hindi, Sanskrit
Possibly means "self-born" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a sacred hill in southern India.
Vereinigtes Königreich (Country) German
German calque of United Kingdom (using the adjective vereinigt meaning "united"). It is written with the definite article das.
Vereinigte Staaten (Country) German
German calque of United States (using the adjective vereinigt meaning "united"). It is written with the definite article die.
Verenigde Staten (Country) Dutch
Dutch calque of United States (using the adjective verenigd meaning "united"). It is written with the definite article de.
Verona (Settlement) Italian, Spanish, English, Ancient Roman
Meaning unknown, possibly of Latin, Gallic or Etruscan origin. This is the name of a city in northern Italy.
Vérone (Settlement) French
French form of Verona.
Victoria (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Body of Water) English
From the given name Victoria. It has generally been bestowed in honour of Queen Victoria (1819-1901). This is the name of many places in the former British Empire, including an Australian state and a Canadian city.
Vienna (Settlement) English, Italian
Meaning uncertain. It could be from Celtic vedunia meaning "forest stream", or possibly from the name of an earlier Roman settlement Vindobona. This is the name of the capital of Austria.
Vienne (Settlement) French
French form of Vienna.
Vindobona (Settlement) Ancient Roman
From Celtic windos "white" and bona "foundation, fort". This was a Roman military town on the site of the Austrian city of Vienna.
Vitryssland (Country) Swedish
Means "white Russia", a Swedish calque of Belarus.
Vlashko (Region) Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Wallachia.
Vltava (River) Czech
Probably from Old High German wildi "wild" and aha "river". This is the name of a river in the Czech Republic.
Voshingtan (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Hindi
Hindi form of Washington.
Wakefield (Settlement) English
From Old English wacu "wake, vigil" and feld "field". This is the name of a city in England.
Walachei (Region) German
German form of Wallachia.
Wales (Country) English, German, Dutch
From Old English Wealas, derived from wealh meaning "foreigner, Celt". This is the name of a country (part of the United Kingdom) in the west of the island of Great Britain. In Welsh it is called Cymru.
Wallachia (Region) Romanian
From Slavic volxŭ meaning "foreigner, Roman", from the Germanic word walhaz. This was the name of a historic principality that was located in southern Romania. It united with Moldavia in 1859 to create the Kingdom of Romania.
Walmersley (Settlement) English
Meaning uncertain. The final element is Old English leah "woodland, clearing". The first element may be a given name such as Wealdmær or Wealhmær. This is the name of a town near Manchester.
Warsaw (Settlement) English
From Polish Warszawa, derived from the given name Warsz, a short form of Warcisław. This is the name of the capital city of Poland.
Warschau (Settlement) German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Warszawa (see Warsaw).
Warszawa (Settlement) Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Polish form of Warsaw.
Warwick (Settlement) English
From Old English wer "weir, dam" and wic "village, town". This is the name of a town in England.
Washington (Settlement & Political Subdivision) English, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Means "settlement belonging to Wassa's people", from the given name Wassa and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of a town in northern England. It is also the name of the capital city and a state in the United States, both named after the president George Washington (1732-1799), whose surname was derived from the name of the English town.
Washinton (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Japanese
Japanese form of Washington.
Washintun (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Arabic
Arabic form of Washington.
Waszyngton (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Polish
Polish form of Washington.
Wealas (Region) Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Wales.
Węgry (Country) Polish
Polish form of Hungary.
Weißrussland (Country) German
Means "white Russia", a German calque of Belarus.
Wembley (Settlement) English
Means "Wemba's clearing" in Old English. This was the name of a town that is now part of Greater London.
Wenezuela (Country) Polish
Polish form of Venezuela.
Weosingteon (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Korean
Korean form of Washington.
Westcott (Settlement) English
From Old English west "west" and cot "cottage". This is the name of several towns in England.
Westley (Settlement) English
From Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few small English towns.
Weston (Settlement) English
From Old English west "west" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several towns in England.
Whitney (Settlement) English
Probably from Old English hwit "white" and ieg "island". This is the name of a small town in Herefordshire.
Wickham (Settlement) English
From Old English wic "village, town" (of Latin origin) and ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a few towns in England.
Wien (Settlement) German
German form of Vienna.
Willey (Settlement) English
From Old English welig "willow" or weoh "idol, image" combined with leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few towns in England.
Willoughby (Settlement) English
From Old English welig meaning "willow" and Old Norse býr "farm, settlement". This is the name of several towns in England.
Wilton (Settlement) English
From Old English welig meaning "willow", wille meaning "well, spring, water hole", or the name of the River Wylye, combined with tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.
Winslow (Settlement) English
Means "Wine's hill" in Old English. This is the name of a town in Buckinghamshire.
Winthrope 1 (Settlement) English
Means "Wine's village", from the given name Wine and Old English þrop "village". This is the name of a town in Lincolnshire.
Winthrope 2 (Settlement) English
Means "Wigmund's village", from the given name Wigmund and Old English þrop "village". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire.
Winton (Settlement) English
Means "Wine's enclosure" in Old English. This is the name of various towns in England.
Wiśniewo (Settlement) Polish
Derived from Polish wiśnia meaning "sour cherry". This is the name of several towns in Poland.
Wit-Rusland (Country) Dutch
Means "white Russia", a Dutch calque of Belarus.
Włochy (Country) Polish
From Old Slavic volxŭ meaning "foreigner, Roman". This is the Polish name for Italy.
Wortham (Settlement) English
From Old English worþ "enclosure" and ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a town in Suffolk.
Wymondham (Settlement) English
From the given name Wigmund combined with Old English ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a town in Norfolk.
Yahuda (Region & Political Subdivision) Arabic
Arabic form of Judah (referring to the Roman province).
Yahudha (Region) Arabic
Arabic form of Judah (referring to the ancient kingdom).
Yakarta (Settlement) Spanish
Spanish form of Jakarta.
Yəmən (Country) Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Yemen.
Yaman (Country) Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, Uzbek, Indonesian, Malay
Arabic form of Yemen, properly written with the definite article: اليمن (al-Yaman).
Yamuna (River) Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit
Name of an Indian river, a major tributary of the Ganges, derived from Sanskrit यम (yama) meaning "twin".
Yarden (River & Country) Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jordan.
Yaxiya (Region) Chinese (Archaic)
Chinese form of Asia.
Yazhou (Region) Chinese
From a short form of Yaxiya combined with (zhōu) meaning "continent, island". This is the modern Chinese name for Asia.
Yehuda (Region) Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Hebrew form of Judah.
Yémen (Country) French
French form of Yemen.
Yemen (Country) English, Danish, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Turkish, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Tagalog
From Arabic يمن (Yaman), probably derived from يمين (yamīn) meaning "right hand, south". This is the name of a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula.
Yemeni (Country) Greek
Greek form of Yemen.
Yericho (Settlement) Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jericho.
Yevraziya (Region) Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Eurasia.
Yevropa (Region) Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian form of Europe.
Yindu (Country) Chinese
Chinese form of India.
Yisra'el (Country) Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Israel.
Yordaniya (Country) Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Bulgarian and Ukrainian form of Jordan (the country).
York (Settlement & Political Subdivision) English
From Jórvík, the Norse form of Old English Eoforwic, which was from the Brythonic name Eburacon meaning "yew". The Old English form Eoforwic was altered based on eofor "boar" and wic "village".... [more]
Yoxall (Settlement) English
Derived from Old English geoc "oxen yoke" and halh "nook, recess". This is the name of a town in Staffordshire.
Zangibar (Island) Persian
Persian form of Zanzibar.
Zanjibar (Island) Arabic
Arabic form of Zanzibar.
Zanzibar (Island) Swahili, English
From Arabic زنجبار (Zanjibār), from Persian زنگبار (Zangibār), derived from زنگی (zangī) meaning "black, dark-skinned" and بار (bār) meaning "shore, coast". This is the name of an island, part of Tanzania.
Zealand (Country) English, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From Dutch Zeeland, from Middle Dutch Seelant, derived from see "sea" and lant "land". This is the name of a province in the western Netherlands (now typically called Zeeland in many languages). It is also borne by the country of New Zealand in the South Pacific, which was named by the Dutch in the 17th century.
Zeeland (Political Subdivision & Country) Dutch, English, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Dutch form of Zealand. Several other languages, including English, use this spelling to refer to the Dutch province (but not the country of New Zealand).
Zelanda (Political Subdivision & Country) Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Zealand.
Zélande (Political Subdivision & Country) French
French form of Zealand.
Zelândia (Political Subdivision & Country) Portuguese
Portuguese form of Zealand.
Zelandia (Political Subdivision & Country) Polish
Polish form of Zealand.
Zweden (Country) Dutch
Dutch form of Sweden.
Zypern (Island & Country) German
German form of Cyprus.