English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Dundraw

Major Settlement in the Parish of Dundraw

Historical Forms

  • Drumdrahrigg 1194 HolmC
  • Drumdrayf a.1246 HolmC
  • Drumdragh 1279 Ass
  • Drumdrahe 1285 For
  • Drumdra, Drumdraye 1292 Ass
  • Drumdrache 1301 GDR
  • Dromdraw(e) 1308 Misc 1316 CWvi
  • Dundra 1222 Pat 1279 Ass 1294 Pat
  • Dundrif a.1230 HolmC
  • Dundrayf a.1246 ib
  • Dundrag 1230 Pat 1256 FF
  • Dundrage 1292 QW
  • Dundrah(e) c.1230 HolmC 1279 Ass 1285 For
  • Dundragh(e) 1255 CWxxii 1610 Denton
  • Dundrath 1279 Ass
  • Dumdraw(e) 1233 Pipe 1580 Border
  • Dumdraegh 1292 Ass
  • Drundraye 1278 Ass
  • Drundraw(e) 1285 For 1314 Ipm 1317 Cl
  • Dundrawe 1278,1279 Ass
  • Dundrau 1279 Ass
  • Dondrawe 1296 Pat
  • Doundraw 1301 Ass
  • Dundraye 1278 Ass 1279 1292 CWv

Etymology

The earliest form, derived from a 12th-century document (as noted by Ekwall in DEPN) and further Drum -, Dum - forms now recorded, make it certain that Ekwall's suggestion is correct that the first element is Welsh  drum , Gael druim , 'ridge.' To this was added Scand drag , 'steep slope,' perhaps an adaptation of OE  dræg, cf. the forms in -draye . The r was lost by dissimilation and md > nd . The change was assisted by the common occurrence of Dun - as an initial element.

Places in the same Parish