Placenames of the Shetlands

[tokførari]

This is a list of placenames of which I found their Norse origin.
When trying to translate them ON refers to the actual name in Old Norse, NYN for the Nynorn.
Names without proper translation shares norse origins and they contain parts of ON roots, but I haven't figured out thir meaning...

Aith - NYN *Eið (compare Far. Eiði, "isthmus")
Aithsetter
Aywick

Baltasound - ON Baltey
Brae - ON Breiðr, "broad"
Braewick - ON Breiðr + vík
Burrafirth - ON Borgafjrðr?
Burravoe - ON Borgavagr

Catfirth
Channerwickm
Cullivoe
Cunningsburgh - ON Konungsborg

Effirth
Esha Ness - ON Esjanes
Exnaboe - (called "bö", maybe cognate to Far. Bøur)

Firth - ON Fjrðr
Fladdabister - ON Flatibólstaðr, "flat farm"?
Freester

Garth - ON Garðr?
Girlsta - ON Geirhildastaðr, "Geirhild place"
Gloup - ON Glup
Gonfirth
Grutness

Hamnavoe - ON Hafnavagr
Haroldswick - ON Haraldsvík?
Hillswick
Hoswick - Far. Hósvík?

Ibister

Kirkabister - ON Kirkjuböstaðr, "church's cultivated field place"?

LERWICK - ON Lervík
Levenwick

Maywick - ON Maívík / Skerplavík (Skerpla is the Norse name of May)
Muckle Roe - ON Rauðey mikla, "big red island"

Nesbister - ON Nesböstaðr, "farm on the Ness"
Noonsbrough
North Roe - ON Norðr Rauðey?
Norwick - ON Norðvík?

Ollaberry - ON Olafrsberg
Otterswick - Far. Hattarvík?

Quendale - ON Kverndal

Reawick
Rerwick

Saltness / Salt Ness - ON Saltnes?
Sandgarth - ON Sandgarðr?
Sandness - ON Sandnes?
Sandwick - ON Sandvík?
Scalloway - ON Scalavagr
Scatness
Scousburgh
Silwick
Skeld - ON Skjöldr
South Scousburgh
Sumburgh - ON Sunnan Borgr, "southern town"

Tangwick
TINGWALL - ON Þingvöllr
Toab - ON Tollhóp
Toft - Far. Toftir?
Turniebrae

Urafirth

Vaivoe
Veensgarth - ON Víkingsgarðr / Vingarðr
Vidlin - ON Vaðilinn
Voe - ON Vagr


Walls - ON Vagar (pl.)
Waisdale
Westerwick - ON Vestrvík?
Whiteness - ON Hvitanes
Wormdale

INHAB. ISLANDS

Bressay - ON Breiðey
Burra - ON Borgarey
Fair Isle - ON Friðarey
Fetlar - ON Fetaland
Muckle Roe - as the settlement's name above
Out Skerries - ON Ut Sker
Papa Stour - ON Papey Stora
Mainland - ON Meginland
Trondra - ON Þrondaey
Whalsay - ON Hvalsey

[Hnolt]

Jakob Jakobsen wrote a big paper on placenames in Shetland, try to get hold of it, he interprets there most of these placenames if not all of them.

[tokførari]

Unfortunately I don't know where to find it. I'm sorry to see I'm doing something which is already done....

[Hnolt]

[tokførari]

Hehehe really thank you very much... i was trying to find it on the net..... Túsund takk (Far)

Do you know where to find a copy of his other book? I only got something in danish....

[Hnolt]

[tokførari]

Well, the famous work where he wrote down the words in Norn, including grammar and stuff...

An etymological dictionary of the Norn language in Shetland, London, 1928-1932; reprinted Lerwick: The Shetland Folk Society, 1985