Scottish Place Names L
LAIRG OLD COUNTY: Sutherland NAME ON MAP: Larg DATE: c.1230 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC learg `hillside, plain', but the modern spelling would imply lairg `thigh, shank'.
LAMBERTON OLD COUNTY: Berwick NAME ON MAP: Lambertona DATE: 1235 EARLIEST RECORD: Lambertun DATE: c.1098 MEANING: probably "Lambert's OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village'". The personal name was GERMANIC and meant `land bright'. It might also be "OLD ENGLISH lám `lamb' burna `stream' tun".
LANARK OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Lanark DATE: 1289 EARLIEST RECORD: Pathelanerhc DATE: 1116 MEANING: BRYTHONIC llanerch `glade'; the 1116 record may include BRYTHONIC pert `wood'.
LANGHOLM OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Langholm DATE: 1376 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH lang `long' MIDDLE ENGLISH holm `island, water meadow'.
LARBERT OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Larbert DATE: 1251 EARLIEST RECORD: Lethberth DATE: 1195 MEANING: the first spelling indicates BRYTHONIC lled `half, a portion' and perth `wood, thicket'.
LARGO OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Largaw DATE: 1279 EARLIEST RECORD: Largauch DATE: 1250 MEANING: GOIDELIC learg `hillside'.
LARGS OLD COUNTY: Ayr NAME ON MAP: Larghes DATE: 1140 MEANING: GOIDELIC learg `hillside' with an OLD ENGLISH plural ‑s.
LASSWADE OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Laswade DATE: a.1150 MEANING: probably OLD ENGLISH læs `meadow' and (ge)wæd `ford'.
LATHERON OLD COUNTY: Caithness NAME ON MAP: Laterne DATE: 1275 EARLIEST RECORD: Lagheryn DATE: 1274 MEANING: the 1274 record suggests GOIDELIC laghran `prongs, forks' (there are two valleys here), but OLD NORSE hlatha `barn' with OLD ENGLISH aern `storehouse' would fit the 1275 record better.
LAUDER OLD COUNTY: Berwick NAME ON MAP: Loweder DATE: 1250 EARLIEST RECORD: Lauuedder DATE: 1208 MEANING: probably from the Leader Water which runs through it. The river name is probably BRYTHONIC leamh `elm' dobhar `water', but might take its name from the Lowther Hills in which case the root could be BRYTHONIC lou‑ `wash'.
LAURENCEKIRK OLD COUNTY: Kincardine NAME ON MAP: Conveth DATE: Medieval MEANING: originally possibly `noisy' from GOIDELIC confhadh `storm'. It later became SCOTTISH ENGLISH kirk (see the entry for Kirkcolm) of, probably, St Laurentius.
LAURIESTON OLD COUNTY: Kincardine NAME ON MAP: Laurenston DATE: 1243 MEANING: see the previous entry. OLD ENGLISH tun means `settlement, village'
LEADBURN OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Lecbernard DATE: c.1200 MEANING: either GOIDELIC leac `stone, grave' or OLD ENGLISH lecc `stream' with the personal name Bernard (beorn `bear' heard `stern').
LEITH OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Let DATE: c.1145 MEANING: either BRYTHONIC llaith `moist' or GOIDELIC liath `grey' could be the source.
LENNOX OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Levenaux DATE: 1296 EARLIEST RECORD: Leuenaichs DATE: 1174 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC leamhanach `place abounding with elms'.
LENZIE OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Lengze DATE: c.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Lenneth DATE: c.1230 MEANING: GOIDELIC lèana `boggy field, marsh'.
LEOCHEL CUSHNIE OLD COUNTY: Aberdeen NAME ON MAP: Lochel DATE: a.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Loychel DATE: c.1200 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC lòchail `dark clearing'. The parish was united with Cushnie (GOIDELIC cuisneach `freezing') in 1795.
LESMAHAGOW OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Lesmachute DATE: 1316 EARLIEST RECORD: Lesmahagu DATE: c.1130 MEANING: at 1148 there is a LATIN record: Ecclesia Machuti `St Machute's church'. All the other early forms begin Les‑,Lis‑, so GOIDELIC leas `enclosure, garden' is more probable than eaglais `church'. St Machute may be the Welsh saint who went to Brittany and became St Malo; he died in 621.
LETHAM OLD COUNTY: Angus NAME ON MAP: Latham DATE: 1284 MEANING: probably OLD NORSE hlatha `at the barns'.
LEUCHARS OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Locres DATE: a.1300 MEANING: GOIDELIC luachair `rushes'.
LEWIS OLD COUNTY: Ross & Cromarty NAME ON MAP: Liodhus DATE: c.1225 EARLIEST RECORD: Leodus DATE: a.1100 MEANING: uncertain; derivations from GOIDELIC leog `marsh' or OLD NORSE lag ey `lower island' are both possibilities.
LIBERTON OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Libertun DATE: c.1128 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village' with, probably, some personal name.
LIDDEL OLD COUNTY: Roxburgh NAME ON MAP: Lidel DATE: c.1160 MEANING: possibly OLD NORSE hly dal `shelter dale', but GOIDELIC lì `coloured' is an alternative first element.
LILLIESLEAF OLD COUNTY: Roxburgh NAME ON MAP: Lyllesclif DATE: 1186 EARLIEST RECORD: Lilleseliva DATE: 1116 MEANING: "Lille's OLD ENGLISH clif `cliff'".
LINDORES OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Londors DATE: 1203 EARLIEST RECORD: Lundors DATE: a.1182 MEANING: probably BRYTHONIC llyn `pool' with dwr `water' (with an OLD ENGLISH ‑s added) or doruis `opening'.
LINLITHGOW OLD COUNTY: West Lothian NAME ON MAP: Lenlithgow DATE: 1264 EARLIEST RECORD: Linlidcu DATE: c.1138 MEANING: probably "BRYTHONIC llyn `lake' [at the] llaith `damp' cae `field'".
LISMORE OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Lesmor DATE: 1251 MEANING: GOIDELIC lios `court, enclosure' mór `great'. The monastery was founded by St Moluag in the 6th century.
LIVINGSTONE OLD COUNTY: West Lothian NAME ON MAP: Levingstoun DATE: a.1224 EARLIEST RECORD: Villa Leuing DATE: c.1128 MEANING: "Leofing's OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village'". The ANGLO‑SAXON name derives fron léof `love' and means `darling, dear'.
LOCH BOISDALE OLD COUNTY: Inverness (Outer Hebrides) NAME ON MAP: L. Boysdale DATE: c.1400 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch and, probably, "Boia's OLD NORSE dalr `dale, valley'", although the personal name was usually ANGLO‑SAXON rather than OLD NORSE . The descriptive OLD NORSE bugis `small bay' is a possible alternative.
LOCH BROOM OLD COUNTY: Ross & Cromarty NAME ON MAP: Loch Bren DATE: 1310 EARLIEST RECORD: Braon DATE: 1227 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with braon `drizzle, dew'.
LOCHBUIE OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Mull) NAME ON MAP: Lochbowe DATE: 1478 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with buidhe `yellow'.
LOCH DOON OLD COUNTY: Ayrshire NAME ON MAP: Logh Done DATE: c.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Inter Don and Ar DATE: 1197 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with, possibly, donn `brown' or dùn `fort, castle'.
LOCH EARN OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: L. Eran DATE: a.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Sraithherni DATE: a.1100 MEANING: Earn is probably very old: perhaps BRYTHONIC `water'. Some scholars have linked it with éire `Ireland'.
LOCHINDORB OLD COUNTY: Moray NAME ON MAP: Lochindorb MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with an `of' and doirb `tadpoles'. An early alternative spelling in 1386 was Louchondoun `loch of the castle'.
LOCH LOMOND OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Loch Lomond DATE: 1350 EARLIEST RECORD: L. Lomnan DATE: a.1200 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with BRYTHONIC llumon `beacon', referring to Ben Lomond.
LOCHMABEN OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Locmaban DATE: 1166‑296 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with, possibly, BRYTHONIC mabon `youth, hero' referring to a CELTIC god.
LOCH NESS OLD COUNTY: Inverness NAME ON MAP: Loch Nis DATE: 1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Nesa, Nisa DATE: a.700 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with a BRYTHONIC or PRE‑CELTIC river name possibly meaning `roaring'.
LOCH SHIEL OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Loch Seile DATE: a.700 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with an unknown word. OLD NORSE skáli `shelter' would be attractive were the first record not so early.
LOCH SHIN OLD COUNTY: Sutherland NAME ON MAP: L. Shyn DATE: 1595 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with, possibly, GOIDELIC seun `charm', thus `enchanted', or sine `storm'. The name is probably old, but the first record is late.
LOCH TAY OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Loch Tay DATE: a.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Taus (the river name) DATE: c.80 MEANING: GOIDELIC loch with, probably, a BRYTHONIC river name related to Thames meaning `river' or `dark river'.
LOCHWINNOCH OLD COUNTY: Renfrew NAME ON MAP: Lochynoc DATE: 1158 EARLIEST RECORD: Lochynoc MEANING: GOIDELIC loch, probably with the diminutive of [St] Wynnin or Vimin, who died in 579.
LOCKERBIE OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Lokardebi DATE: 1306 MEANING: probably "Locard's OLD NORSE by `settlement, village'". See the entry for Lockhart under Clan Names, although there is no proven connection.
LOGIERAIT OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Rate DATE: a.1200 MEANING: "GOIDELIC lag `hollow' [by the] ràth `circular fort'".
LONGFORGAN OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Longforgrund DATE: 1315 EARLIEST RECORD: Forgrund DATE: 1178‑82 MEANING: GOIDELIC lann `enclosure, church' or lòn `marsh' with, possibly, fothir grund `field with the good bottom'.
LORN OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Lorne DATE: 1304 MEANING: traditionally named after Loarn. See the entry for Angus.
LUFFNESS OLD COUNTY: East Lothian NAME ON MAP: Luffnauch DATE: c.1250 EARLIEST RECORD: Luffenac DATE: 1180 MEANING: GOIDELIC luibheanach `place full of little herbs or plants'.
LUMPHANAN OLD COUNTY: Aberdeen NAME ON MAP: Lumfannan DATE: 1299 EARLIEST RECORD: Lumfanan DATE: a.1100 MEANING: "BRYTHONIC lann `church' of [St] Finan (Finian)". See the entry for Chapel Finian.
LUNCARTY OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Lonfordi DATE: 1358 EARLIEST RECORD: Lumphortyn DATE: 1250 MEANING: GOIDELIC longphort; literally, `ship harbour', but here meaning `stronghold'. It is not on the sea and it is possible the name might come from Longford in Ireland.
LUSS OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Lus DATE: 1225 MEANING: GOIDELIC lus `herb'.