Welsh House Signs

Common prefixes used in Welsh House names and House Signs Common prefixes in Welsh place names. some prefixes, or stems appear time and again in Welsh place names and house names. Aber This denotes the mouth of a river, a small stream, or a confluence of a river. It is usually followed by the name of the river. Examples are: Abercraf mouth of the river Craf (= garlic) Abernant mouth of a stream Aberllynfi mouth of the river Llynfi (= smooth) Betws A house of prayer. This is usually followed by the location of the prayer house or by its founder's name. Examples are: Betws-y-Coed prayer house in the wood Betws Garmon prayer house of Garmon Betws Ifan prayer house of Evan Blaen The source of a river or the head of a valley. (Blaenau is the plural form). Examples are: Blaen-bedw source of the river Bedw (= birch trees). Blaen-cwm head of the valley. This is a village situated at the head of the Rhondda Valley. Blaenau Ffestiniog heads in the valleys in the land of Ffestin. Bryn A hill. Brynarian hill of silver. Brynhyfryd pleasant hill. Bryncastell castle hill Bwlch A pass or gap. Bwlch-mawr big pass. Bwlch y Ddau Faen pass of the two stones. Bwlch y Mynydd mountain pass Capel A chapel. Capel Dewi chapel of David, the patron Saint of Wales. Capel Seion chapel of Zion. Capel Newydd new chapel. Castell castle. Castell Pictwn picton's castle Castell Coch red castle Castell Maen stone castle Coed A wood Coed-y-bryn wood of the hill Coed-yr-Ystrad wood of the vale Coed-y-Brenin King's wood Cwm A shallow valley. Cwm-bach a small valley Cwm Hirnant valley of the long stream. Cwm Elai valley of the elai river. Dan Below (also Tan) Dan-y-coed below the wood Dan-y-graig below the rock Tanygrisiau below the steps Eglwys A church Eglwys-fach little church Eglwys y Drindod Trinity church Eglwys Wen White church Esgair A ridge Esgairdawe a ridge of the river Tawe. (quiet) Esgair Hirnant ridge of the long stream. Esgair Ddu black ridge Ffridd A mountain pasture or sheep walk. Ffridd Fawr big mountain pasture. Ffridd y Foel mountain pasture of the bare hill. Ffriddisaf lower mountain pasture. Ffynnon A well or spring Ffynnongroyw clear spring or well Ffynnon Taf Taf's well. Ffynnon-bedr St Peter's well. Geli A grove. Geli-aur golden grove. Gellilydan wide grove. Gellifelen yellow grove. Glan A river or water bank. Glan-llyn the bank of a lake. Glan-y-don bank or shore of the wave. Glanyrafon bank of the river. glyn A glen or valley. Glynteg fair glen. Glynebwy glen of the river Ebwy. Glyncorrwg glen of the two Corrwg streams. Gors From Cors, meaning a bog, fen or marsh. Gors Lydan wide marsh. Gorseinon the fen of Einion. Gors-goch red marsh. Hafod A summer dwelling or summer pasture Hafod yr Ynys summer dwelling of the island. Hafod-wen fair summer dwelling or pasture. Hafod Fraith mottled summer pasture. Llan A church. This is usually followed by the name of the saint to whom the church is dedicated. Examples are: Llanddewi Church of St. David. Llanbadrig Church of St. Patrick. Llanfair Church of St. Mary. (Lan- may also refer to a parish). Llwyn A bush or grove. Llwyn-onn ash grove. Llwynypia bush of the magpie. Llwyndyrys tangled grove. Llyn A lake or pool. Llyn Helyg lake of the willows. Llyn Hywel Hywel's lake. Llyn Hir long lake. Maes A field or plain. Maes-glas field of the bridge. Maes-y-crugiau field of the cairns. Moel A bare hill. Moel Garegog rocky, bare hill. Moel Sych dry, bare hill. Moel y Llyn bare hill of the lake. Mynydd A mountain. Mynydd Coch red mountain. Mynydd Uchaf highest mountain. Mynydd Margam Morgan's mountain. Nant A stream. Nantglyn a stream of the glen. Nant-y-Pnndy stream of the fulling mill. Nantgarw rough stream. Pant A hollow or valley. Pantycelyn hollow of the holly trees. Pant yr Ynn hollow of the ash trees. Pantysgallog hollow of thistles. Pen Top or end. Pen-twyn top of the hill. Penrhos end of the moorland. Pentraeth end of the beach. Pentre A village. Pentre Isaf lower village. Pentre's Felin village of the mill. Pentre Bont village of the bridge. Pont A bridge. Pont Sian Sian's bridge. Pontaman bridge over the river. Pontgarreg bridge of stone. Pwll A pool or pit. Pwll-glas blue pool. Pwll-y-glaw the rain pool. Pwll defaid sheeps pool or pit. Rhiw A slope or hillside. Rhiwlas green slope. Rhiwderyn birds hillside. Rhiw Cilgwyn hill of the white nook. Rhos Moorland. Rhos-yr-hafod moorland of the summer dwelling. Rhosbwlch moorland of the pass. Rhos-goch red moorland. Rhyd A ford or stream. Rhyd-y-foel ford of the bare hill. Rhydfach little ford. Rhyd-ddu black ford. Tal End or front. Tal-y-bont end of the bridge. Talgarreg end or front of the rock. Talerddig end of the little garden. Tre A homestead or town (also Tref). Treffynnon homestead of the well. Trefecca homestead of Becca. Trefdraeth homestead or town of the beach. Ty A house. Tyddewi house of St David. Ty-hen old house. Ty-newydd new house. Tyn (from Tyddyn) a small holding. Tyn-y-pwll a small holding of the pool. Tyn-cwm small holding in the valley. Tyn-y-Pistyll small holding near the well or spring. Waun (fromGwaun) moorland or meadow. Waun Fawr Large meadow. Waun Lwyd grey meadow or moorland. Waunarlwydd lord's meadow. Ystrad A wide bottomed valley. Ystradmynach monk's valley. Ystradowen Owen's valley. Ystradyfodwg valley of St Tyfodwg.

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