Uist Place Names
Recently I gave a presentation to Uist Communtiy Archaeology Group. the powerpoint presentation I used can be found here. (PS It is a Powerpoint file stored on Google Drive so there might be some issues. The best option is file > download.)
The google map below has several of the place names on Uist - currently over 10200 of them - referring to over 4000 places and covers North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist S to Aisgernis fairly comprehensively. Clicking on the rectangle in the top right of the map will open it up full screen on another tab. The + / - will zoom in and out and you can move the map around by clicking on it and dragging..
If you click on one of those markers, you should get more information about that particular place name. The plan is to add some form of explanation of where the place name has come from for each place. Please consider them as a starting point for a conversation rather than definitive! To this end I have tried to at least put up a suggestino for every place. Many are speculative in the extreme. As my thoughts have become more extensive, Google maps truncates them so if there is something you really need to read, do try this pdf file that has all the places in alphabetic order. It includes more information and in particular the earlier forms that I could find but beware it is over 4000 pages long! Otherwise just contact me.
With the poor written record for the Hebrides, the majority of the place names exist only as the modern OS form and the earleir 1st edition OS form.
For those unlucky enough not to have a grasp of Gaelic or Old Norse, I include an English 'translation' of the name to the best of my knowledge..
If there are any obvious errors, do feel free to get back to me via the contact form. I am aware there are loads of typos so please ignore them. Likewise if you know of a name or names that isn't/aren't on the map, I would love to hear - again just fill in the contact form.
Apologies for my poor grasp of Gaelic (and Old Norse!)
The google map below has several of the place names on Uist - currently over 10200 of them - referring to over 4000 places and covers North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist S to Aisgernis fairly comprehensively. Clicking on the rectangle in the top right of the map will open it up full screen on another tab. The + / - will zoom in and out and you can move the map around by clicking on it and dragging..
If you click on one of those markers, you should get more information about that particular place name. The plan is to add some form of explanation of where the place name has come from for each place. Please consider them as a starting point for a conversation rather than definitive! To this end I have tried to at least put up a suggestino for every place. Many are speculative in the extreme. As my thoughts have become more extensive, Google maps truncates them so if there is something you really need to read, do try this pdf file that has all the places in alphabetic order. It includes more information and in particular the earlier forms that I could find but beware it is over 4000 pages long! Otherwise just contact me.
With the poor written record for the Hebrides, the majority of the place names exist only as the modern OS form and the earleir 1st edition OS form.
For those unlucky enough not to have a grasp of Gaelic or Old Norse, I include an English 'translation' of the name to the best of my knowledge..
If there are any obvious errors, do feel free to get back to me via the contact form. I am aware there are loads of typos so please ignore them. Likewise if you know of a name or names that isn't/aren't on the map, I would love to hear - again just fill in the contact form.
Apologies for my poor grasp of Gaelic (and Old Norse!)
In England it is thought that most place names recorded in the Domesday Book of c1086 are still extant and this was almost two hundred years before the Norse ceded the Hebrides back to Scotland. The experts think that there are few place names surviving from the pre-Norse days other than the names of the major islands themselves.
As a consequence I think we should not be surprised that so many place name do have a Norse root rather than the other way around! That is very much the premise by which I have looked at the meaning of the place names.
All the name are Gaelic names as they are and have been used by Gaelic speakers, for centuries in most cases. To use an Orwellian phrase however, some are more Gaelic than others.
What I have tried to find is how the modern name might have been arrived at from Norse through Gaelic and possibly an Anglicization process before appearing in today's world. Without a history of most names, it will all be speculative and very much my opinion, for which I apologise.
Having been doing this for a couple of years now, I cringe at some of my first thoughts, many of which could still appear on the map as updating all 4000+ records is not a job to undertake lightly or quickly.
The information I have used is all from open access material to the best of my knowledge. A list of the most important sources is below.
Much interpretation is my own very amateur musing.
Sources
National Library Scotland - fantastic resource of maps and particularly the GB1900 project site https://geo.nls.uk/maps/gb1900/
Beveridge's book on North Uist where my interest started.
The Ordnance Survey name books very usefully digitalized on the https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/ web site.
The Gaelic dictionaries available at https://www.faclair.com/index.aspx?Language=en
Vigfusson's Old Icelandic Dictionary available online at http://norroen.info/dct/cleasby/k.html
A modern on-line Iclenadic dictionary at http://islenskordabok.arnastofnun.is/ with hugely helpful pronunciation and grammar
Henderson's table of regular transpositions from Norse to Gaelic has been hugely helpful as a starting point.
MacDonald and Fraser's place names on Baleshare.
Stahl place names of Paiblesgarry and Barra
Cox's work on place names of Lewis
Holliday's work on Tiree place names
Macniven's work on Islay place names
LearnGaelic on-line dictionary at learngaelic.scot/dictionary/ that inlcudes very useful pronunciation.
Wiktionary - en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page - such an all-encompassing resource created by so many inidividuals
and talking to people!
As a consequence I think we should not be surprised that so many place name do have a Norse root rather than the other way around! That is very much the premise by which I have looked at the meaning of the place names.
All the name are Gaelic names as they are and have been used by Gaelic speakers, for centuries in most cases. To use an Orwellian phrase however, some are more Gaelic than others.
What I have tried to find is how the modern name might have been arrived at from Norse through Gaelic and possibly an Anglicization process before appearing in today's world. Without a history of most names, it will all be speculative and very much my opinion, for which I apologise.
Having been doing this for a couple of years now, I cringe at some of my first thoughts, many of which could still appear on the map as updating all 4000+ records is not a job to undertake lightly or quickly.
The information I have used is all from open access material to the best of my knowledge. A list of the most important sources is below.
Much interpretation is my own very amateur musing.
Sources
National Library Scotland - fantastic resource of maps and particularly the GB1900 project site https://geo.nls.uk/maps/gb1900/
Beveridge's book on North Uist where my interest started.
The Ordnance Survey name books very usefully digitalized on the https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/ web site.
The Gaelic dictionaries available at https://www.faclair.com/index.aspx?Language=en
Vigfusson's Old Icelandic Dictionary available online at http://norroen.info/dct/cleasby/k.html
A modern on-line Iclenadic dictionary at http://islenskordabok.arnastofnun.is/ with hugely helpful pronunciation and grammar
Henderson's table of regular transpositions from Norse to Gaelic has been hugely helpful as a starting point.
MacDonald and Fraser's place names on Baleshare.
Stahl place names of Paiblesgarry and Barra
Cox's work on place names of Lewis
Holliday's work on Tiree place names
Macniven's work on Islay place names
LearnGaelic on-line dictionary at learngaelic.scot/dictionary/ that inlcudes very useful pronunciation.
Wiktionary - en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page - such an all-encompassing resource created by so many inidividuals
and talking to people!