Old English Origin Place Names

This is a list of place names in which the origin is Old English. Old English was the West Germanic language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons who inhabited ancient England.

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Annesley (Settlement) English
From Old English anne "alone, solitary" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire.

Ansley (Settlement) English
From Old English ansetl "hermitage" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Warwickshire.

Appleby (Settlement) English
Derived from Old English æppel "apple" and Old Norse býr "farm, settlement". This is the name of towns in England.

Appleton (Settlement) English
Derived from Old English æppeltun "orchard". This is the name of towns in England.

Ashley (Settlement) English
From Old English æsc "ash tree" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of various towns in England.

Ashton (Settlement) English
From Old English æsc "ash tree" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.

Ashworth (Settlement) English
From Old English æsc "ash tree" and worþ "enclosure". This was the name of a town in Lancashire.

Aston (Settlement) English
From Old English east "east" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of many towns in England.

Audley (Settlement) English
Means "Ealdgyð's clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a village in Staffordshire, England.

Avonlea (Settlement) Literature
Created 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) English
Derived 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) English
From the Old English name Beornræd and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a village near Manchester.

Beesley (Settlement) English
From Old English beos "bent grass" and leah "woodland, clearing". This was the name of a hamlet or farm in Lancashire, England.

Bentley (Settlement) English
From Old English beonet "bent grass" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several English towns.

Benton (Settlement) English
From Old English beonet "bent grass" and tun "enclosure". This is the name of towns in England.

Berkeley (Settlement) English
From Old English beorc "birch" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a city in Gloucestershire, England.

Beverley (Settlement) English
From Old English beofor "beaver" and (possibly) licc "stream". This is the name of a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Blackburn (Settlement) English
From Old English blæc "black" and burna "stream". This is the name of a city in Lancashire, England.

Blakesley (Settlement) English
From the Old English byname Blæcwulf "black wolf" combined with leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a city in Northamptonshire.

Blidworth (Settlement) English
From the Old English byname Blīþa "happy, blithe" and worþ "enclosure". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire, England.

Boston (Settlement) English
Means "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) English
From 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) English
From Old English brad "broad" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England.

Brierley (Settlement) English
From Old English brer "briar" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of various towns in England.

Buckley (Settlement) English
From Old English bucc "buck, male deer" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few minor towns in England.

Burnham (Settlement) English
From Old English burna "stream, spring" and ham "home". This is the name of several towns in England.

Burton (Settlement) English
From Old English burg "fortress, castle" and tun "enclosure". This is the name of several English towns.

Cawston (Settlement) English
From 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.

Ceaster (Settlement) Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Chester.

Cestrescir (Region) Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Cheshire.

Chadwick (Settlement) English
Means "village belonging to Chad" in Old English. This is the name of towns in Lancashire and Warwickshire.

Cheshire (Region & Political Subdivision) English
Shortened form of Chestershire, a combination of Chester and shire.

Chester (Settlement) English
From Latin castrum meaning "camp, fortress". This is the name of a city in Cheshire, England.

Cockburn (Settlement) English
From Old English cocc "rooster" and burna "stream". This was the name of a town in Berwickshire, Scotland.

Colton (Settlement) English
Means "Cola's town" in Old English. This is the name of several English towns.

Crawford (Settlement) English
From Old English crawe "crow" and ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name various small towns in England.

Dallas (Settlement) English
Several 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) English
From 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) English
From Old English dic "ditch" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.

Dudley (Settlement) English
Means "Dudda's clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a city in the West Midlands, England.

Eaton (Settlement) English
Derived from Old English ea "river" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.

Engeland (Country) Dutch
Dutch form of England.

Englaland (Country) Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of England.

England (Country) English, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From 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) English
From Old English ea "river" and worþ "enclosure". This is the name of a town in Northumberland, England.

Farnham (Settlement) English
From 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) English
From Old English fugol meaning "bird" and dun meaning "hill". This is the name of a town in Norfolk.

Gales (Country) Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Wales.

Galles (Country) French, Italian
French and Italian form of Wales.

Glympton (Settlement) English
Derived 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 Culture
From 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) English
From Old English grand meaning "gravel" and ham meaning "home, estate, settlement". This is the name of a town in Lincolnshire.

Hailey (Settlement) English
From Old English heg "hay" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Oxfordshire, England.

Hamilton (Settlement) English
Means "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) English
From Old English hara "hare" and denu "valley". This is the name of a town in West Yorkshire.

Harford (Settlement) English
From 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) English
From 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) English
From Old English hoh "point of land, heel" and land "land". This is the name of several towns in England.

Houston (Settlement) Scottish, English
Means "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.

Huashengdun (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Chinese
Chinese form of Washington.

Huxley (Settlement) English
From Old English hux "insult, scorn" (possibly) and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Cheshire, England.

Kendal (Settlement) English
From 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) English
Means 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) English
From Old English cyning "king" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England.

Kingston (Settlement) English
From 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) English
Means "Cynefrith's town" in Old English. This is the name of hamlets in Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Langley (Settlement) English
From Old English lang "long" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of numerous towns in the United Kingdom and North America.

Layton (Settlement) English
From Old English leac "leek, herb" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of towns in England.

Leighton (Settlement) English
Variant of Layton. This is the name of several English towns.

Linton (Settlement) English
From 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) English
From Old English lind "linden tree" and wudu meaning "wood, forest". This is the name of a few English towns.

Lyndon (Settlement) English
From Old English lind "linden tree" and dun meaning "hill". This is the name of a few towns in the United Kingdom.

Maxwell (Settlement) Scottish
Means "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) English
From 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.

Norþweg (Country) Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Norway.

Norway (Country) English
From Old English Norþweg meaning "north way". This is the name of a country in Scandinavia in Northern Europe.

Peyton (Settlement) English
Means "Pæga's town". This is the name of a town in Sussex.

Priestley (Settlement) English
From Old English preost "priest" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few small towns in England.

Princeton (Settlement) English
The 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) English
From the surname Rhodes. This was a British-controlled region of the south of Africa, named after the politician and imperialist Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902). It is now the independent countries of Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Romiley (Settlement) English
From 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) English
Means "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) Scottish
From Old English hriðer "cattle, ox" and ford "ford, river crossing". This was the name of a town in southern Scotland.

Ryley (Settlement) English
From Old English ryge "rye" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Lancashire, England.

Sandford (Settlement) English
From Old English sand "sand" and ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name of several towns in England.

Saxony (Region & Political Subdivision) English
From 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.

Scherwode (Region) Medieval English
Middle English form of Sherwood.

Sherborne (Settlement) English
From Old English scir "bright" and burna "spring, fountain, stream". This is the name of several towns in England.

Sherburn (Settlement) English
Variant of Sherborne, also the name of several English towns.

Sherwood (Region) English
From 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) English
From Old English scir "bright" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England.

Tatham (Settlement) English
From the Old English given name Tata combined with ham meaning "homestead". This is the name of a town in Lancashire.

Tatton (Settlement) English
From the Old English given name Tata combined with tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of a town in Cheshire.

Thornley (Settlement) English
From Old English þorn "thorn" and leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England and Scotland.

Thornton (Settlement) English
From Old English þorn "thorn" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.

Trenton (Settlement) English
Means "Trent's town". This is the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent.

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.

Upton (Settlement) English
From Old English upp "up" and tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.

Vashington (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Russian
Russian form of Washington.

Vashynhton (Settlement & Political Subdivision) Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Washington.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Wembley (Settlement) English
Means "Wemba's clearing" in Old English. This was the name of a town that is now part of Greater London.

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.

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.

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.

Yoxall (Settlement) English
Derived from Old English geoc "oxen yoke" and halh "nook, recess". This is the name of a town in Staffordshire.