Alexandria

Alexandria (nominative singular)
Alexandrian (accusative singular)
Alexandrian (genitive singular)
Alexandrian (dative singular)

c. 996, Ælfric's Lives of Saints
[Commodus] hine ġesette tō hēahġerefan ofer Alexandrian
[Commodus] appointed him hēahġerefa over Alexandria


Snotingaham

From Snot, name of a Saxon chieftain who conquered the settlement + -ing (“belonging to”) + hām (“home”).


burg

byrġ (nominative plural)
burg (nominative singular)
byrġ (nominative plural)
burg (accusative singular)
byrġ (accusative plural)
byrġ (genitive singular)
burga (genitive plural)
byrġ (dative singular)
burgum (dative plural)

Middle English: burgh

Scots: burch, burgh

desc

English: borough, -borough, Brough, burg, bur-, burgh, bury (as in borough, manor), -bury

→ English: burh (learned)

c. 897, King Alfred's translation of Pope Gregory's Pastoral Care
Wyrċaþ fæsten ymb þā burg.

late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
Þæt Ēstland is swīðe miċel, and þǣr biþ swīðe manega byrġ, and on ǣlcre byrġ biþ cyning.

Estonia is very large. There are a whole lot of towns, and every town has a king.

late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of St. Augustine's Soliloquies
Nāt iċ nā þȳ hwā Rōme burg timbrede þe iċ hit self ġesāwe, ac for þȳ þe hit man mē sæġde.

I don't know who built the city of Rome because I saw it myself, but because somebody told me.

c. 992, Ælfric, "The Assumption of the Blessed Mary"
Sē Godes wiðersaca hine þā ġehāthierte and cwæþ, "Þā iċ fram fierde ġeċierre, iċ tōweorpe þās burg, and hīe ġesmēðe, and tō ierþlande āwende, swā þæt hēo biþ cornbǣru swīðor þonne manbǣru."

The adversary of God became furious and said, "When I return from the campaign, I will destroy this city, and level it, and turn it into farmland, so it is full of grain instead of people."


Eoforwic

Eoforwīc (canonical neuter)
Eoforwīc (nominative singular)
Eoforwīc (accusative singular)
Eoforwīces (genitive singular)
Eoforwīce (dative singular)

Middle English: Everwik, Eborwike, Eoverwic, Everwic, Everwich, Everwike, Everwyk

desctree

→ Old Norse: Jórvík
Icelandic: Jórvík
→ Faroese: Jórvík (learned)
→ Norwegian Nynorsk: Jorvik (learned)
→ Swedish: Jorvik (learned)
→ Danish: Jorvig (learned)
→ Middle English: York, Yorke, Ȝork, Ȝorke, Ȝorc, Ȝeorc
English: York

A folk-etymological alteration, based on eofor (“boar”) and the common placename suffix wīc (“village”), of the earlier Latin Eborācum, from pre-Brythonic *Eborākom, from Proto-Celtic *eburos (“yew-tree”) (compare Welsh efwr, Breton evor).


Hierusalem

English: Jerusalem

...hyt funde on Hierusalem on þæs Pontiscan Pilates domerne, eall swa hyt Nychodemus awrat, eall myd Ebresicum stafum on manegum bocum þus awryten.

11th century, Evangelium Nichodemi, University Library, Cambridge. MS Ii.2.11, 173v


Portesmuða

Portesmūða (canonical masculine)
Portesmuða (nominative singular)
Portesmuðan (nominative plural)
Portesmuðan (accusative singular)
Portesmuðan (accusative plural)
Portesmuðan (genitive singular)
Portesmuðena (genitive plural)
Portesmuðan (dative singular)
Portesmuðum (dative plural)

Middle English: Portesmuða

English: Portsmouth


Exanceaster

Exanċeaster (canonical neuter)
Exanċeaster (nominative singular)
Exanċeastre (accusative singular)
Exanċeastre (genitive singular)
Exanċeastre (dative singular)

Middle English: Exchestre

English: Exeter

From Ex (“River Exe”) + ċeaster (“fortress, fortified town”), in some forms influenced by Latin Isca, both from Proto-Brythonic *Uɨsk.

affix

Exeter (a cathedral city in modern Devon, England)


Cantwara burg

Cantwara burg (nominative singular)
Cantwara burg (accusative singular)
Cantwara byriġ (genitive singular)
Cantwara byriġ (dative singular)

desctree

Middle English: Caunterbury, Canterbiri, Canterburi, Canterbury, Caunterbery, Caunterbiri, Caunterbiry, Caunterburi, Cawnterbery, Kaunterburi
English: Canterbury
→ Old French: Canterbiri, Cantorebiri
French: Cantorbéry

→ Medieval Latin: Cantuaria

From the genitive of Cantware (“Kent or the people of Kent”) + burg (“city”).


Mægelan

English: Milan


Portesmuþa

Portesmūþa (canonical masculine)
Portesmuþa (nominative singular)
Portesmuþan (accusative singular)
Portesmuþan (genitive singular)
Portesmuþan (dative singular)

desc

Middle English: Portesmuþe, Portesmouþe, Portesmouthe, Portsmouthe

English: Portsmouth

Scots: Portsmou

Yola: *Po(r)smowth(e), *Po(r)smowdh(e)


Gleawceaster

Glēawċeaster (canonical feminine)
Glēawċeaster (nominative singular)
Glēawċeastre (accusative singular)
Glēawċeastre (genitive singular)
Glēawċeastre (dative singular)

Middle English: Glowchestre

English: Gloucester


Suþhamtun

Sūþhāmtūn (canonical masculine)
Sūþhāmtūn (nominative singular)
Sūþhāmtūn (accusative singular)
Sūþhāmtūnes (genitive singular)
Sūþhāmtūne (dative singular)


Baþanceaster

Baþanċeaster (canonical feminine)
Baþanċeaster (nominative singular)
Baþanċeastre (accusative singular)
Baþanċeastre (genitive singular)
Baþanċeastre (dative singular)


Elig

Ēlīg (canonical)
Ēlīg (nominative singular)
Ēlīge (accusative singular)
Ēlīge (genitive singular)
Ēlīge (dative singular)

Unknown. Often derived in folk etymologies from ǣl (“eel”).


Roðem

Borrowed from Old French *Rodem, earlier form of Roem, from Latin Rotomagus.

(hapax) The capital city of Normandy, France, on the River Seine.


Caðum

Borrowed from Old French *Cadom (later Cahom, Caem), likely from Latin *Catumagus.

Caen (a city in the Calvados department, Normandy, France).


Dorwitceaster

Dorwitċeaster (canonical feminine)
Dorwitċeaster (nominative singular)
Dorwitċeastre (accusative singular)
Dorwitċeastre (genitive singular)
Dorwitċeastre (dative singular)


Betleem

Latin Bethlehemum, from Ancient Greek Βηθλεέμ (Bēthleém), from Hebrew בֵּית לֶחֶם (bēṯ léḥem)

der

Hebrew בֵּית לֶחֶם (bēṯ léḥem)


Wintanceaster

Wintanċeaster (canonical masculine)
Wintanċeaster (nominative singular)
Wintanċeastre (accusative singular)
Wintanċeastre (genitive singular)
Wintanċeastre (dative singular)

English: Winchester

From Latin Venta Belgārum (literally “Venta of the Belgae”), possibly from Proto-Celtic *wentā (“town, place”), Proto-Indo-European *h₁wen- (“place (?)”) + ċeastre


Baþan

English: Bath

Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *baþą (“bath”), named for its Roman baths


Mameceaster

Mameċeaster (canonical feminine)
Mameċeaster (nominative singular)
Mameċeastre (accusative singular)
Mameċeastre (genitive singular)
Mameċeastre (dative singular)

Unclear. The first element may be from a word related to Breton mamm (“mother; female animal; womb”), in reference to a breast-shaped hill.
The second part is known to be from ceaster (“city”),


Grantanbrycg

Grantanbryċġ (canonical feminine)
Grantanbryċġ (nominative singular)
Grantanbryċġe (accusative singular)
Grantanbryċġe (genitive singular)
Grantanbryċġe (dative singular)

English: Cambridge

The first element is likely Celtic in origin; bryċġ is the Old English term for bridge.


Eoforwicceaster

Eoforwīcċeaster (canonical feminine)
Eoforwīcċeaster (nominative singular)
Eoforwīcċeastre (accusative singular)
Eoforwīcċeastre (genitive singular)
Eoforwīcċeastre (dative singular)

By surface analysis, Eoforwīc (“York”) + ċeaster (“town, city”)


Lindcylene

English: Lincoln


Ligoraceaster

Ligoraċeaster (canonical feminine)
Ligoraċeaster (nominative singular)
Ligoraċeastre (accusative singular)
Ligoraċeastre (genitive singular)
Ligoraċeastre (dative singular)

English: Leicester


Loidis

English: Leeds

Leeds, a city in West Yorkshire, England


Cisseceaster

Ċisseċeaster (canonical feminine)
Ċisseċeaster (nominative singular)
Ċisseċeastre (accusative singular)
Ċisseċeastre (genitive singular)
Ċisseċeastre (dative singular)

English: Chichester


Mediolana burg

Mediolana burg (nominative singular)
Mediolana burg (accusative singular)
Mediolana byrġ (genitive singular)
Mediolana byrġ (dative singular)

late 10th century, Ælfric, Lives of Saints
Sebastianus hātte sum hāliġ godes þeġn, sē wæs lange on lāre on Mediolana byrġ.

A certain holy servant of God was named Sebastian, who for some time studied in Milan.


Ioppe

late 10th century, Ælfric, Lives of Saints
Ioppe hātte sum burh...


Læcedemonia

From Latin Lacedaemon, from Ancient Greek Λακεδαίμων (Lakedaímōn).

late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
Leoniða, Læcedemonia cyning, Crēca byrġ, hæfde IIII þūsend monna, þā hē anġēan Xersis fōr, on ānum nearwan londfæstenne; ⁊ him þǣr mid ġefeohte wiðstōd.

Leonidas, king of Sparta, a Greek city, had four thousand men, when he marched against Xerxes, in a narrow fortified pass; and stood against him in battle.


Persibulis

late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
⁊ siþþan fōr on Perse ⁊ ġeēode Persibulis þā burg heora cynestōl, sēo is ġiet welegast ealra burg.

And subsequently he marched on the Persians and conquered the city of Persepolis, their capital, which is still the wealthiest of all cities.

Persepolis, capital of the Persian Empire


Gaþes

Borrowed from Latin Gades, from Phoenician 𐤂𐤃𐤓 (gdr /gādēr, gādīr/, “a walled enclosure”).