HILL AND DALE
We have a fair number of Celtic words connected with natural scenery,
but they do not as a rule form compounds, and as surnames are usually
found in their simple form. Such are Cairn, a stony hill, Crag,
Craig, and the related Carrick and Creagh, Glen or Glynn, and Lynn, a
cascade. Two words, however, of Celtic origin, don, or down, a hill,
and combe, a hollow in the hills, were adopted by the Anglo-Saxons and
enter into many compounds. Thus we find Kingdon, whence the imitative
Kingdom, Brandon, from the name Brand (Chapter VII), Ashdown, etc.
The simple Donne or Dunne is sometimes the Anglo-Saxon name Dunna,
whence Dunning, or a colour nickname, while Down and Downing may
represent the Anglo-Sax. Duna and Duning (Chapter VII). From Combe,
used especially in the west of England, we have Compton, and such
compounds as Acomb, at combe, Addiscombe, Battiscombe, etc. But
Newcomb is for Newcome (Chapter II). See also Slocomb (Chapter XXI).
HILLS
The simple Hill and Dale are among our common surnames. Hill also
appears as Hull and is easily disguised in compounds, e.g. Brummel for
broom-hill, Tootell and Tuttle for Toothill, a name found in many
localities and meaning a hill on which a watch was kept. It is
connected with the verb to tout, originally to look out
"David dwellide in the tote hil" (Wyc, 2 Sam. v. 9).
We have Dale and its cognate Dell in Swindell (swine), Tindall (Tyne),
Twaddell, Tweddell (Tweed), etc.--
"Mr. H. T. Twaddle announced the change of his name to Tweeddale in
the Times, January 4, 1890" (Bardsley).
Other names for a hill are Fell (Scand.), found in the lake country,
whence Grenfell; and Hough or How (Scand.), as in the north country
names Greenhow, Birchenough.
This is often reduced to -o, as in Clitheroe, Shafto, and is easily
confused with scough, a wood (Scand.), as in Briscoe (birch), Ayscough
(ash).
In the north hills were also called Law and Low, with such compounds
as Bradlaugh, Whitelaw, and Harlow. To these must be added Barrow,
often confused with the related borough (Chapter XIII). Both belong
to the Anglo-Sax. beorgan, to protect, cover. The name Leatherbarrow
means the hill, perhaps the burial mound, of Leather, Anglo-Sax.
Hlothere, cognate with Lothair and Luther.
A hill-top was Cope or Copp. Chaucer uses it of the tip of the
Miller's nose
"Upon the cope right of his nose he hade
A werte, and thereon stood a toft of herys."
(A. 554.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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