Annesley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
anne "alone, solitary" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire.
Ansley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
ansetl "hermitage" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Warwickshire.
Appleby (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
æppel "apple" and Old Norse
býr "farm, settlement". This is the name of towns in England.
Appleton (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
æppeltun "orchard". This is the name of towns in England.
Ashley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
æsc "ash tree" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of various towns in England.
Ashton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
æsc "ash tree" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.
Ashworth (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
æsc "ash tree" and
worþ "enclosure". This was the name of a town in Lancashire.
Aston (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
east "east" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of many towns in England.
Audley (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Ealdgyð's clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a village in Staffordshire, England.
Avonlea (Settlement) LiteratureCreated by Lucy Maud Montgomery as the setting for her novel
Anne of Green Gables (1908). She may have based the name on the Arthurian island of
Avalon, though it also resembles the river name
Avon and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Ayton (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
ea "river" or
ieg "island" combined with
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of towns in Berwickshire and North Yorkshire.
Bardsley (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English name
Beornræd and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a village near Manchester.
Beesley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beos "bent grass" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This was the name of a hamlet or farm in Lancashire, England.
Bentley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several English towns.
Benton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
tun "enclosure". This is the name of towns in England.
Berkeley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beorc "birch" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a city in Gloucestershire, England.
Beverley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beofor "beaver" and (possibly)
licc "stream". This is the name of a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Blackburn (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
blæc "black" and
burna "stream". This is the name of a city in Lancashire, England.
Blakesley (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English byname
Blæcwulf "black wolf" combined with
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a city in Northamptonshire.
Blidworth (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English byname
Blīþa "happy, blithe" and
worþ "enclosure". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire, England.
Boston (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Botwulf's stone", from the Old English name
Botwulf combined with
stan "stone". This is a town in Lincolnshire, England, and a city in the United States that is named after it.
Bradford (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
brad "broad" and
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name of a city in West Yorkshire, as well as several other towns.
Bradley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
brad "broad" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England.
Brierley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
brer "briar" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of various towns in England.
Buckley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
bucc "buck, male deer" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few minor towns in England.
Burnham (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
burna "stream, spring" and
ham "home". This is the name of several towns in England.
Burton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
burg "fortress, castle" and
tun "enclosure". This is the name of several English towns.
Cawston (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old Norse given name
Kálfr combined with Old English
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of towns in Norfolk and Warwickshire.
Chadwick (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"village belonging to Chad" in Old English. This is the name of towns in Lancashire and Warwickshire.
Cheshire (Region & Political Subdivision) EnglishShortened form of
Chestershire, a combination of
Chester and
shire.
Chester (Settlement) EnglishFrom Latin
castrum meaning
"camp, fortress". This is the name of a city in Cheshire, England.
Cockburn (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
cocc "rooster" and
burna "stream". This was the name of a town in Berwickshire, Scotland.
Colton (Settlement) EnglishMeans "
Cola's town" in Old English. This is the name of several English towns.
Crawford (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
crawe "crow" and
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name various small towns in England.
Dallas (Settlement) EnglishSeveral of the places bearing this name, including probably the city in Texas, were named for the American vice president George M. Dallas (1792-1864). His surname is of Old English origin meaning "valley house".
Debenham (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English river name
Deben combined with
ham meaning "home, homestead". This is the name of a town in Suffolk, on the River Deben.
Deighton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
dic "ditch" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.
Dudley (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Dudda's clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a city in the West Midlands, England.
Eaton (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
ea "river" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.
England (Country) English, German, Swedish, Danish, NorwegianFrom Old English
Englaland meaning
"land of the Angles", the Angles being one of the Germanic tribes that settled in the area in the post-Roman period. This is the name of a country (part of the
United Kingdom) on the southern portion of the island of Great Britain. The United Kingdom is sometimes (inaccurately) referred to as
England.
Ewart (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
ea "river" and
worþ "enclosure". This is the name of a town in Northumberland, England.
Farnham (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
fearn "fern" and
ham "home" or
ham "water meadow, enclosure". This is the name of several towns in England, notably in Surrey.
Foulden (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
fugol meaning "bird" and
dun meaning "hill". This is the name of a town in Norfolk.
Glympton (Settlement) EnglishDerived from the name of the river
Glyme and Old English
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of small town in Oxfordshire, England.
Gotham (Settlement) English, Popular CultureFrom Old English
gat "goat" and
ham "home". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire, famous for folk tales about its inhabitants pretending to be imbeciles in order to avoid a visit from the king. Based on this tale, writer Washington Irving applied the name to New York City in his satirical periodical
Salmagundi (1807). Subsequently, Gotham or Gotham City was used as the setting of the
Batman comics, starting 1940.
Grantham (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
grand meaning "gravel" and
ham meaning "home, estate, settlement". This is the name of a town in Lincolnshire.
Hailey (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
heg "hay" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Oxfordshire, England.
Hamilton (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"crooked hill" from Old English
hamel "crooked, mutilated" and
dun "hill". This was the name of a town in Leicestershire, England (which no longer exists). After the town name became a surname, it was used for several other cities, including ones in Scotland, Canada, Australia and the United States.
Harden (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hara "hare" and
denu "valley". This is the name of a town in West Yorkshire.
Harford (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
heorot "hart, male deer" or
here "army" combined with
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name of towns in England.
Harley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hara "hare" or
hær "rock, heap of stones" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of towns in England.
Holland 2 (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hoh "point of land, heel" and
land "land". This is the name of several towns in England.
Houston (Settlement) Scottish, EnglishMeans
"Hugh's town", from the given name
Hugh and Old English
tun meaning "enclosure, town". This is the name of a town in Scotland. The American city of Houston is named after the Texas president Sam Houston (1793-1863), whose surname is derived from the Scottish town.
Huxley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hux "insult, scorn" (possibly) and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Cheshire, England.
Kendal (Settlement) EnglishFrom the name of the river
Kent combined with Old English
dæl meaning "valley, dale". This is the name of a town in Cumbria.
Kimberley (Settlement) EnglishMeans either
"Cyneburga's field",
"Cynebald's field" or
"Cynemær's field". This is the name of towns in Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and Norfolk. In the case of the city in South Africa, it was named after John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (1826-1902). His title was taken from the name of the town in Norfolk.
Kingsley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
cyning "king" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England.
Kingston (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
cyning "king" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of many towns in England, as well as other parts of the English-speaking world (including the capital of Jamaica).
Kynaston (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Cynefrith's town" in Old English. This is the name of hamlets in Herefordshire and Shropshire.
Langley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lang "long" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of numerous towns in the United Kingdom and North America.
Layton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
leac "leek, herb" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of towns in England.
Linton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lind "linden tree" or
lin "flax" combined with
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several towns in the United Kingdom.
Linwood (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lind "linden tree" and
wudu meaning "wood, forest". This is the name of a few English towns.
Lyndon (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lind "linden tree" and
dun meaning "hill". This is the name of a few towns in the United Kingdom.
Maxwell (Settlement) ScottishMeans
"Mack's stream", from the name
Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name
Magnus, combined with Old English
wille "well, stream". This is the name of a place in Roxburghshire, Scotland.
Netherlands (Country) EnglishFrom English
nether meaning "lower" and
land, referring to the low-lying position of the country. This is the name of a country in northwestern Europe. It is sometimes called
Holland in English, though this is properly one of its subregions. In English it is usually referred to using the definite article,
the.
Norway (Country) EnglishFrom Old English
Norþweg meaning
"north way". This is the name of a country in Scandinavia in Northern Europe.
Peyton (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Pæga's town". This is the name of a town in Sussex.
Priestley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
preost "priest" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few small towns in England.
Princeton (Settlement) EnglishThe name of a town in New Jersey, originally called
Princetown when it was established in the early 18th century. It is said to have been named for William III, the Prince of Orange.
Rhodesia (Region) EnglishFrom the surname
Rhodes. This was a British-controlled region of Southern Africa, named after the politician and imperialist Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902). It is now the independent countries of
Zimbabwe and
Zambia.
Romiley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
rum "roomy, spacious" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This was the name of a town that is now part of Greater Manchester.
Royston (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Royse's town" in Old English. The given name
Royse was a medieval variant of
Rose. This is the name of a town in Hertfordshire.
Rutherford (Settlement) ScottishFrom Old English
hriðer "cattle, ox" and
ford "ford, river crossing". This was the name of a town in southern Scotland.
Ryley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
ryge "rye" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Lancashire, England.
Sandford (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
sand "sand" and
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name of several towns in England.
Saxony (Region & Political Subdivision) EnglishFrom the name of the Germanic tribe of the Saxons, ultimately derived from Germanic *
sahsą meaning "knife". This is the name of a historical region in Germany, and appears in the names of the German states of Saxony, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
Sherborne (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
scir "bright" and
burna "spring, fountain, stream". This is the name of several towns in England.
Sherwood (Region) EnglishFrom Old English
scir "shire, district" and
wudu "wood". This is the name of a forest near Nottingham. It is known in English folklore as the home of the outlaw hero Robin Hood.
Shirley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
scir "bright" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England.
Tatham (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English given name
Tata combined with
ham meaning "homestead". This is the name of a town in Lancashire.
Tatton (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English given name
Tata combined with
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of a town in Cheshire.
Thornley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
þorn "thorn" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England and Scotland.
Thornton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
þorn "thorn" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.
Trenton (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Trent's town". This is the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent.
United Kingdom (Country) EnglishThe 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.
Upton (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
upp "up" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.
Wakefield (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wacu "wake, vigil" and
feld "field". This is the name of a city in England.
Wales (Country) English, German, DutchFrom 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.
Walmersley (Settlement) EnglishMeaning 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.
Warwick (Settlement) EnglishFrom 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, PortugueseMeans
"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.
Wembley (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Wemba's clearing" in Old English. This was the name of a town that is now part of Greater London.
Westcott (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
west "west" and
cot "cottage". This is the name of several towns in England.
Westley (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
west "west" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few small English towns.
Weston (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
west "west" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several towns in England.
Whitney (Settlement) EnglishProbably from Old English
hwit "white" and
ieg "island". This is the name of a small town in Herefordshire.
Wickham (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wic "village, town" (of Latin origin) and
ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a few towns in England.
Willey (Settlement) EnglishFrom 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) EnglishFrom Old English
welig meaning "willow" and Old Norse
býr "farm, settlement". This is the name of several towns in England.
Wilton (Settlement) EnglishFrom 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) EnglishMeans
"Wine's hill" in Old English. This is the name of a town in Buckinghamshire.
Winthrope 1 (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"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) EnglishMeans
"Wigmund's village", from the given name
Wigmund and Old English
þrop "village". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire.
Winton (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Wine's enclosure" in Old English. This is the name of various towns in England.
Wortham (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
worþ "enclosure" and
ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a town in Suffolk.
Wymondham (Settlement) EnglishFrom the given name
Wigmund combined with Old English
ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a town in Norfolk.
Yoxall (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
geoc "oxen yoke" and
halh "nook, recess". This is the name of a town in Staffordshire.