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Houses, Farms and Building
In common with other Orkney
placenames, farm and building names were also usually descriptive,
based on the appearance, situation or primary use of the place being
described.
The following simplified list details
the most common farm/building placename elements found across Orkney.
The original Norse word is shown
first and beside it a translation. The forms in which these elements
are now found in Orkney, as names or part of names, are then shown beneath the
translation.
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bólstaðr |
meaning "dwelling" or "farm"
Found today as "-buster" or "-bister" or
"-bist".
e.g. Kirbuster, Rennibister and Swanbister (A very common
element) |
bru |
meaning "bridge"
Found today as "bro-"
e.g. Brodgar |
|
bú |
meaning "Estate"
Found today as "bu" or "-by".
e.g. Bu - a common Orkney farm name. |
bygging |
meaning "building" from the Norse "byggja"
meaning to settle or to build.
Found today as "-bigging"
e.g. Netherbigging, Biggings. |
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garð |
Meaning "enclosure" or "dyke"
Found today as "-garth or "-ger"
e.g. Odinsgarth, Stenigar |
grind |
meaning "gate"
e.g. Grindally |
|
hagi |
Meaning "pasture"
Found today as "hack-"
e.g. Hacksness, Hackland |
hús |
meaning "house"
Found today as "-ist"
e.g. An interesting example of this is Midhouse in Birsay.
This name has been corrupted to "Meadows". |
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kró |
Meaning "small Enclosure" or "sheepfold"
Found today as "-croo" |
kví |
Meaning "enclosure" or "cattle pen"
Found today as "-quoy"
e.g. Quoyloo, Haquoy, Cumlaquoy |
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mýrr |
Meaning "marsh" or "wet-meadow"
Found today as "-mire"
e.g. Rossmire, Mid Mire |
sel |
From "saeter" meaning "hut"
Found today as "selli-" |
|
setr |
Meaning "a homestead"
Found today as "seatter" or "-setter" or
"-ster"
e.g. Grimsetter, South Seatter |
skáli |
Meaning "hall" or "house"
Found today as "-skaill"
e.g. Langskaill |
|
staðir |
Meaning "homestead"
Found today as "-ster" or "--sta"
e.g. Costa |
stofa |
Meaning "room"
Found today as "stove"
e.g. Stove |
|
topt |
Meaning "abandoned site of house"
Found today as "-toft" or "-taft"
e.g. Kettletoft, Tafts |
tún |
Meaning "enclosure, hedge"
Found today as "-ton" or "-town"
e.g. Outertown, Grimeston |
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