Welsh Place Names A
ABBEYCWMHIR (Pow) Cwm hir Meaning: "the abbey in the long valley"; from WELSH cwm ‘valley' and hir ‘long'. The Abbey was founded in 1143.
ABER (Gwy) Abergwyngregyn Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and a river name derived from gwyn ‘white' and, probably, cregyn ‘shells'. This was a religious centre in the 13th century
ABERPORTH (Dyf) Aberporth Meaning: WELSH aber ‘river mouth' and porth ‘harbour'.
ABERAERON (Dyf) Aber Aeron (15th century). Earliest Record: ad ostium Ayron (1184). Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Aeron ‘goddess of battle' (from WELSH aer ‘battle').
ABERDARE / ABERDAR (MGl) Aberdar (1253). Earliest Record: Aberdar (1203). Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Dâr (probably derived from WELSH dâr ‘oak').
ABERDARON (Gwy) Aberdaron Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Daron (from dâr ‘oak').
ABERDOVEY / ABERDYFI (Gwy) Aberdewi (12th century). Meaning: from WELSH aber 'mouth' and the river name Dyfi derived from du (earlier duf) ‘dark'.
ABEREDW (Pow) Aberedw Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Edw.
ABERFFRAW (Gwy) Aberffro Meaning: from WELSH aber river mouth' and ffraw ‘swift flowing'.
ABERGAVENNY / Y FENNI (Gwe) Bergeveny (1255). Earliest Record: Gobannion (Roman). Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Gafenni derived WELSH gof ‘smith', probably used as a personal name. The Roman form is simply a Latinization. There was at one time a Lord Bergavenny.
ABERGELE (Clw) Abergele (1257). Earliest Record: Opergelei (9th cent). Meaning: from WELSH aber and the river name Gele derived from WELSH gelau ‘knife' (either because the river cut through the land or because it shone like a knife).
ABERGWILI (Dyf) Abergwyly Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Gwili, itself derived from a personal name meaning ‘happy, gentle'.
ABERLLEINIOG (Gwy) Aberlleiniog Meaning: from aber ‘river mouth' and a river name.
ABERTILLERY / ABERTELERI (Gwe) Teleri (1332). Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Teleri, which was originally a personal name.
ABERYSTWYTH (Dyf) Aberestuuth (1232-3). Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Ystwyth meaning ‘a very curved, winding river'. The 1110 Norman castle was in the Ystwyth valley, 1½ miles south of the present town. The 1211 castle was built on the River Rheidol.
AMBLESTON / TREAMLOD (Dyf) Almenolfestun (1230). Earliest Welsh Record: Tre amlod (1566). Meaning: "Amelot's tun"; from OE tun ‘homestead, settlement'. Amelot is a diminutive of Amel, itself a diminutive of the OFRENCH name Amé. Welsh Meaning: "Amelot's WELSH tre ‘homestead' ".
AMLWCH (Gwy) Anulc (1254). Meaning: from WELSH am ‘near' and llwch ‘pool', either referring to the cove which was later enlarged to the present harbour or simply to some marshy ground.
ANGLE (Dyf) Nangle (1325). Meaning: probably from OE angel related to the known OSCAN ongul ‘fishing hook', hence ‘bend'. The OE atten Angle ‘at the Angle' has been wrongly condensed in the earliest record.