The meaning of Welsh names
Welsh words which appear as names on the F.R. (not an exhaustive list)
Firstly a few words of explanation.
It should be remembered that under certain circumstances Welsh words can mutate; i.e. the initial consonant can change to another specific letter. There are actually 3 types of mutation in the language, but only the soft mutation need be considered here.
The most common causes of soft mutation in place names are;
- in a compound word (two words put together) the second will invariably mutate.
Many place names consist of several words (e.g. Tanygrisiau, Glan-y-pwll) but the hyphen is not actually native to Welsh - it was introduced by the English in order to make pronunciation easier.
- feminine nouns mutate after 'y' (the). NB - The "y" may subsequently have been dropped, but often the mutation remains, e.g. (y) Fron Goch, (y) Dduallt
- a feminine noun will cause a subsequent adjective to mutate
- where an adjective comes before a noun (more common historically) it will invariably cause a mutation.
For information, the 9 letters which soft mutate are as follows
b > f c > g d > dd g > _ ll > l m > f p > b rh > r t > d
Welsh | English |
---|---|
a | and |
afon | river |
allt / gallt | hill |
bach / fach | small, (in place names) Minor |
bagl | shepherd’s crook, crutch |
beudy | cowshed |
blaenau | high inaccessible place* |
bleiddiau | wolves |
bod | in place names: residence of, place of |
bron | small rounded hill, breast |
bryn | hill |
buarth | farmyard |
budr | dirty |
bugail | shepherd |
bwlch | pass,gap |
cae | field, enclosure |
capel | chapel |
carnedd | cairn, tumulus |
cei | quay, embankment |
cefn | ridge, back |
cigfran / gigfran | raven |
coch / goch | red |
coed | wood |
corn | handle, horn |
craig | rock |
creuau | hollows |
croesffordd | crossroads |
cryddion | cobblers, shoemakers |
cwm | narrow valley |
cysgfa | sleeping place (from cysgu ”to sleep”) |
dau / dwy / deu | two |
duffws (diffws etc.) | steep slope |
dinas (male noun) | fort, fortified place |
dinas (female noun) | city |
dol | meadow |
du / ddu | black |
dyffryn | wider valley |
ewig (> wiog) | hind |
fali | valley (loanword) |
ffestin, ffestiniog | fortification, fortifications |
fry | above |
ffatri | factory |
ffordd | road |
ffridd | upland pasture |
gallt / allt | hill |
gatiau | gates |
gelli | grove |
glan | bank, shore |
grisiau | steps, stairs |
gweithdy | workshop |
gwlyb | wet |
gwyn | white |
hafod | summer dwelling |
hen | old |
isaf | lower |
llan | originally church enclosure, now more like parish |
llechwedd | hillside, slope |
lloc | fold, pen |
llwyd (anglicised lloyd) | grey |
llyn | lake |
maen | stone |
Mair | Mary |
mawr / fawr | big, (in place names) Major |
melyn | yellow |
min | edge, lip |
moel | bare hill |
môr | sea |
naddu | to hew |
newydd | new |
nyth | nest |
offeryn (offeren) | tool, instrument |
pant / bant | hollow |
pen | top, head, end |
penrhyn | headland, promontory |
picyn | noggin, pail |
plas | large house, mansion |
pont / bont | bridge |
porth | harbour, gateway |
pwll | pool, pit |
rhediad | slope, gradient |
rhedyn | bracken |
rhiw | hill, slope, bank |
rhos | moor, heath |
rhyn | hill |
tafarn | pub |
tan | under |
traeth | beach |
tro | bend, curve |
trwyn | nose, headland |
tý | house |
uchaf | upper |
uffern | hell |
wern | |
y / yr / ’r | the |
ychain | oxen |
ynys | island |
ystradau | high wide valleys |
* Traditionally the meaning of "Blaenau Ffestiniog" has been given as "heads of Ffestiniog". "Blaen" has various meanings, including "front/point/end/head" but can also mean "source", as in Blaenrhondda & Blaenrheidol. In its plural form, however, it is used to mean a "high inaccessible place", as also in Blaenau Gwent. (source: Geiriadur Gomer)
(feel free to add more, just the Welsh if preferred, and we'll translate it)