Place-Name Glossary
This is a glossary of Scots words which are used in place-names. Each entry gives the meaning of the word, alongside linguistic notes (discussed below) and modern and historical examples of the word in actual place-names in Scotland.
Do you have any more examples of place-names which use these words? If so, tell us about them!
Page 6 of 8
| Modern Form | Older Scots Form | Etymology | PoS | Definition  | Modern Examples | Historical Evidence | SND Link | DOST Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| orchard, wortchat | orchat | OE ortgeard | n | an enclosure for the cultivation of fruit-trees | Orchardton (Kirkcudbrightshire); Orchardfield (Fife); Orchardhead (Stirlingshire); Lugton Orchard (Midlothian); Orchard (Roxburghshire, Dumfriesshire); Orchard Rig (Peeblesshire) | Orchidiardstrother c1320; Orchardcroft 1451; Orchardfelde 1470; the orchet of Carslo 1498-99; Orchartfeild 1522; Boyellis hortchet 1571; Oarchyeardtoune 1694 | wortchat n | orchard n; orchat n | |
| garth | garth | ON garðr | n | an enclosure, yard, a small patch of enclosed cultivated ground, enclosed pasture (and the house attached to it); a shallow part or stretch of a river which may be used as a ford | Applegarth (Dumfriesshire); Garthdee (Aberdeenshire); Fairgirth (Wigtownshire); Auldgirth (Dumfriesshire); Martin Girth (Kirkcudbrightshire); Inchgarth (Aberdeenshire) | Apilgarth 1361; Le fischegarth de Esk 1492; Apilgirth 1505; Algarth 1531 | garth n; S1 garth n; S2 garth n | garth n | See also DOST fisch-garth n |
| loch | loch | Gael loch | n | an expanse of standing water, a lake or pond; a narrow or land-locked arm of the sea | Hogganfield Loch (Glasgow) Lochfauld (Dunbartonshire); Loch of Brockan (Orkney); Corby Loch (Aberdeen); Loch of Aithsness (Shetland); Loch Mill (West Lothian); Lochend (Argyllshire, Inverness-shire); Loch of Mey (Caithness); Duddingston Loch (Edinburgh); Lochshot (West Lothian) | Blaklouch a1325; louch medow 1439; Louchside 1451; Burro Lowch 1561-62; North Loch 1569 | loch n; S2 loch n | loch, louche n | See also DOST locheid n |
| steid | stede | OE stede | n | an inhabited place, a hamlet or village; an area of land, a landed property or estate, a farm; a dwelling-place; the site of a building, the piece of land on which a building stands | Newstead (Roxburghshire); Kirkstead (Selkirkshire); Millstead (Dumfriesshire); Castle Steads (Midlothian); Middlestead (Selkirkshire) | Selestede 1165-1214; Castilsted 13thC; le stede de Kynewarde 1509; Hannykyn kill steid 1560 | steid n; S2 steid n | sted(e, steid n1 | |
| voe | voe, wo | ON vágr | n | an inlet of the sea, a deep bay or long creek, a fjord | Voe of Sound (Shetland); East Voe of Quarff (Shetland); West Voe of Sumburgh (Shetland); Voe of Clousta (Shetland) | Voe of Sara 1733; North Voe 1832; South Voe 1832; East Voe of Scalloway 1887 | voe n; S2 voe n | vo(e, wo n | |
| inch | inch; insh | Gael innis | n | an island; a piece of ground rising in the middle of a plain; a low-lying tract of ground on a river bank (sometimes cut off at high tide) | Wester Inshes (Inverness); South Inch (Aberdeenshire); The King's Inch (Renfrewshire); Inchwood (Stirlingshire); Little Inch (Fife); Netherinch (Stirlingshire); Heatherinch (Fige) | Redinche 1198-9; Stan Inche 13thC; le Kingis Inche 1450; Sanct Serfis ynche 1567; Keyth Inch c1680 | inch n | inch n2; ins(c)h | |
| holm (2) | holm | ON holmr | n | an islet, a small (grassy) island (in a loch or off a larger island) often used for pasturage | Holm of Grimbister (Orkney); Holm of Rendall (Orkney); Holm of Califf (Shetland); Holms of Vatsland (Shetland); Holm of Cruester (Shetland) | Holm a1688; Holms of Spurness 1832; Holm of Huip 1832; Holm of Houss 1887 | holm n; S1 holm n | holm n; ADDS holm n | See also DOST ting holm n |
| otter, witter | otter | OE oter | n | an otter | Otter Isle (Kirkcudbrightshire); Otter Burn (Midlothian, Roxburghshire); Otter Strand (Kirkcudbrightshire); Otters Pool (Orkney); Otter Ayre (Shetland) | Otyrburn a1300; Otirburne 1373; Otterburne 1593; Oatters Pool 1765 | otter n; witter n4 | otter n, notyr n | |
| muir | mure | OE mōr | n | barren open country, uncultivated heathery land considered part of an estate; a tract or expanse of heath; a peat moor; a tract of unenclosed common land held by a town or village; a market green | Muirhouse (Edinburgh); Nethermuir (Ayrshire); Muircroft (Argyllshire); Lammermuir (Berwickshire); Muiredge (Fife); Haughmuir (Angus); Clynelish Muir (Sutherland); Skaithmuir (Berwickshire); Muirhead (Fife) | Morthuweit a1153; Inter Lambremor et Tay 1153; De mora de Edenham 1160; Pilemor c1170 | muir n, S2 muir n | mure, muir, mor(e, moir n | See also DOST mur(e)-, muirland n |
| birken | birkin | OE *bircen | a | birchen, consisting of birch-wood | Birkenshaw (North Lanarkshire, West Lothian); Birkenbush (Angus, Banffshire); Birkenhill Croft (Morayshire); Birken Burn (Stirlingshire); Birkenside (Berwickshire) | Birchinsyde 1158; Birkenside c 1170; Birkynshawe 1336-37; Birkenbrewell 1664 | birken a | birkin, birken a | |
| bleck, black | blak, blake | OE blæc | a | black; (of a hill) covered with heather; (of a house) built of drystone and earth | Black Law (Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire, Fife); The Black Isle (Ross and Cromarty); Blackchester (Berwickshire); Black Bothy (Abderdeenshire); Blackbraes (Stirlingshire); Blackwood (Dumfriesshire); Blackhall (Edinburgh); Blakedean (Roxburghshire); Blackcastle (Midlothian); Blackbyres (Ayrshire); Black Grain (Selkirkshire); The Black Bridge (Inverness) | Blakepol c1190; Blachedene c1200; Blachope 1218; Blakhall c1330 | S2 bleck adj; black adj; S1 black adj, S2 black adj; black-house n; S1 black-house n; S2 black-house n | blak, blac(k a; blake, blaik a | See also DOST bla, blae, a |
| breckan, brechan | brakan | ME braken | n | bracken | Breckonside (Dumfriesshire); Breconrae (Dumfriesshire); Brackenhirst (North Lanarkshire); Brekenrig (Dumfriesshire); Bracken Falls (Wigtownshire); Brackenleys (Stirlingshire); Breconside (Kirkcudbrightshire); Breckenshank (Dumfriesshire) | Brakanwra c1270; Brakenrig 1428; Brakanhirst 1475; Brakanrig 1504 | brachan, brachen, brechan n; bracken n; breckan, brecken n | brakan, braikane n1 | |
| braid | brade | OE brād | a | broad or wide | Braidshaw (Midlothian); Braidley (Roxburghshire); Braidfield (Dunbartonshire); Broadhaugh (Roxburghshire); Broadleys (Fife); Braidwood (Midlothian) | Bradestrother c1200; Brademedwe c1200; Bradeforde c1230; Bradewude a1240 | braid adj; S1 braid adj; S2 braid adj | brade, braid a | |
| scrog, scrogg | scrog | ME skrogg | n | brushwood or scrub, thickets of bushes or small trees; an area or piece of land covered with scrub or brushwood; a stunted or crooked bush or low tree, a stump or root of a tree, a crabapple tree | Scroghill (Aberdeenshire); Scrogs of Drumruck (Kirkcudbrightshire); Scroggs (Dumfriesshire); Scrogbank (Selkirkshire); Crossford Scroggs (Dumfriesshire) | terram de Scrogges c1208; Scrogisston 1476; Scrogbank 1595; Priesthaugh Scrogg 1805 | scrog n1; S2 scrog n1; scrag n | scrog(g, skrog(g n | |
| cauld, cowld | cald | OE cald | a | cold | Caldside (Berwickshire); Cauldcots (Angus); Caulhame (West Lothian); Cauldcoats (Midlothian, Renfrewshire); Cauldside (Dumfriesshire, East Lothian); Coldstream (Berwickshire); Cauldshiel (East Lothian) | Kalde welle c1190; Kaldestrem c 1200; Caldelaue 1218; Caldclogh 1363 | cauld adj; S1 cauld adj; S2 cauld adj; cowld adj; S2 cowld adj | cald, cauld a | |
| aiken | akin, oken | OE ǣcen, ācen | a | consisting of oaks, oaken | Aikendean (Midlothian); Aikenhead (Glasgow); Aikencleugh (Ayrshire); Aikenshaw (Dunbartonshire) | Akinhede 1260; Akynhevid 1379; Eck(i)eden 1612 Oakendean 1773 | aiken adj | akin, aikin a; oken, oikin, oa(c)ken a | |
| sandy | sandy | OE sandig | a | consisting of, or covered in sand; sandy | Sandy Hirst (East Lothian); Sandyford (Dunbartonshire); Sandystones (Roxburghshire); Sandyhill (Fife); Sandy Knowes (North Lanarkshire); Sandilands (South Lanarkshire); Sandydub (Fife) | Sandilandis 1348; Sandystanis 1499-1500; Sande Knowis 1550; Sandieburne 1632 | sandy adj | sandy adj; S2 sandy adj | |
| whinnie | whinnie | ME whinny | a | covered with whins | Whinnieliggate (Kirkcudbrightshire); Whinnyfold (Aberdeenshire); Whinny Hill (Edinburgh); Whinnie Knowes (Wigtownshire); Whinnyhall (Fife); Whinnydrums (Angus); Whinny Brae (Midlothian); Whinnyrig (Dumfriesshire) | Whinnie-Know 1652; Whinnie Grain 1700; the whinnie park 1715; Whinny Hill 1896 | whin n2 | whinnie adj | |
| easter | ester, eister | OE ēasterra | a | eastern, lying towards the east, the more easterly of two places or buildings (in contrast with wester) | Easterhouse (Glasgow); Easter Ross (Ross and Cromarty); Easterton (Aberdeenshire); Easter Quarff (Shetland); Easter Cash (Fife); Easter Tofts (South Lanarkshire); Easter Knock (Aberdeenshire) | Esterhathou a1200; Estyr Fenton c1224; Eister Vemis 1556; Eistyr Drakie 1562 | easter adj | ester, eister, easter a | |
| windy | wyndy | OE windig | a | exposed to the wind, frequently windy | Windyhill (Dunbartonshire); Windyrise (Ayrshire); Windie Edge (North Lanarkshire); Windyshields (South Lanarkshire); Windy Yett (Stirlingshire); Windywa's (West Lothian); Windy Mill (Angus); Windydoors (Midlothian) | Windeshoure 1165-1214; windilawes 1260-8; Windiduris 13thC; Wynderigz 1327-28; Wyndiduris 1456; Wyndeedge 1561 | windy adj | wyndy, -ie adj | |
| fairnie | farny | OE fearnig | a | ferny | Fairnieside (Berwickshire); Ferniebrae (Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire); Fairnielee (Selkirkshire); Ferniehill (Edinburgh); Ferniehirst (Midlothian, Roxburghshire); Ferniegair (South Lanarkshire); Fernieflatt (Kincardineshire); Fernyrig (Berwickshire); Fernie Grain (Midlothian) | Farniacres 13thC; Farenyacredene c1320; Farnydoune 1372; Farnyle 1456 | fern n | farny a | |
| thorny, toarny | thorny, thornie | OE þornig | a | filled with or composed of thorn trees or bushes | Thornybank (Banffshire); Thorniethwaite (Dumfriesshire); Thornyside (Ayrshire); Turniedykes (Midlothian); Thornyhaw (Fife); Thornyhills (South Lanarkshire); Thornyhive Bay (Kincardineshire); Thornycrook (Midlothian) | Thorniflat 1272-1316; Thornidyk a1300; Thornyle a1390; Thornydykis 1406 | toarny adj | thorny adj | |
| watery | wattiry | OE wæterig | a | full of water, well watered, watery | Easter Watery Knowe (Angus); Wester Watery Knowe (Angus); Wateryslack (Aberdeenshire); Waterybutts (Perthshire) | Wattridike c1230; Watryraw 1405; Wetterybuttis 1567; Watrielawes 1664 | water n; S1 water n; S2 water n | wattiry, wat(t)(e)ry adj | |
| green | grene | OE grēne | n | grassy ground, a grassy place; an open piece of grassy ground (in the grounds of a manor or castle); a town or village green | Glasgow Green (Glasgow); Parson's Green (Edinburgh); Magdalen Green (Dundee); Gunsgreen (Berwickshire); Greens of Gardyne (Angus); Schilgreen (Roxburghshire); Gretna Green (Dumfriesshire); Blairsgreen (Fife) | Schelgrene c1320; Wodgrenystoun 1359; Gownisgrein 1580; Smiddiegrein 1652 | green n; S1 green n; S2 green n | grene, grein n | |
| green | grene | OE grēne | a | grassy, green-coloured; covered in grass or greenery | Greenlaw (Angus, Berwickshire, Midlothian); Greenhill (Sutherland); Greenwood (Berwickshire); Greenside (Midlothian); Green Nap (Fife); Greenhead (Roxburghshire); Green Shields (Stirlingshire) | Grenlaw a1159; Grenerig c1220; Grenesyd(e) 1256-59; Greneheved 1296; Grenhil(cotis) 1317; Grenelaw 1492 | green adj; S1 green adj; S2 green adj | grene, grein a |
Glossary compiled by Dr Alison Grant of Scottish Language Dictionaries and the Scottish Place-Name Society.
Linguistic Notes
The glossary provides the Modern Scots form of each place-name element, and then traces the word back through the Older Scots form to its etymological root. Illustration of the development of each element is found in the historical forms, and modern usage is illustrated by the current place-name examples provided. The glossary also provides references to the two major Scots dictionaries, the Scottish National Dictionary (SND) and the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (DOST) together with any relevant supplementary material (the first SND supplement is marked S1, and the second S2, and the additions to DOST are marked ADDS). These dictionaries can be accessed online at www.dsl.ac.uk. Further supplementary material has been added from two 1940s Ph. D. theses, The Non-Celtic Place-Names of the Scottish Border Counties by May Williamson and The Place Name of Midlothian by Norman Dixon, both of which are available for consultation in the ‘resources’ section of the Scottish Place-Name Society website. The glossary contains Scots words derived from Old English, Old Norse, Middle Dutch, Anglo-Norman French and Latin, together with more recent loan-words from Gaelic and Insular Norn. For example, the whilst ‘glen’ is primarily a Gaelic place-name element, occurring in names such as Glen Affric and Glenmore, the word was also borrowed into Scots, where it was used to form names such as Glenhead and Glens of Foudland. Similarly, although names in ‘geo’ are often from Old Norse gjá, including Ramnageo and Papilgeo, the word was also borrowed into Scots from Norn, and used to coin names such as Millburn Geo and Geo of Dykesend.Counties (where given) are pre-1975 local government reorganisation.
PoS = Part of Speech (noun, adjective, etc.)
