Scottish Place Names S
SADDELL OLD COUNTY: Bute NAME ON MAP: Sagadul DATE: 1203‑503 MEANING: probably OLD NORSE sag `saw' dalr `dale, valley', or GOIDELIC sagart `priest' dail `dale, valley'. The abbey was founded by Somerled, the half‑Viking progenitor of Clan Donald.
SAINT ANDREWS OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: St Andrae DATE: 1158 EARLIEST RECORD: Ecclesia Sancti Andreae DATE: a.1130 MEANING: from Saint Androis, the name given, possibly by King Kenneth McAlpine c.AD 850, to the church founded here by St Regulus who traditionally brought relics of the apostle to Scotland in the 4th century. Andrew derives from the GREEK for `manly', but in St Andrew's case is probably a translation of a HEBREW name.
SAINT NINIAN'S CHAPEL OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Scti. Niniani [de Kirktoun] DATE: 1242 EARLIEST RECORD: Egglis DATE: 1147 MEANING: from the abbot of Bangor, Ireland, died AD 432, who evangelized the southern Picts and founded a church at Whithorn (see entry). His name means `lively'.
SANQUHAR OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Sanwhare DATE: 1298 EARLIEST RECORD: Sanchar DATE: a.1150 MEANING: GOIDELIC sean `old' cathair `fort'.
SAUCHIE OLD COUNTY: Clackmannan NAME ON MAP: Salacheth DATE: a.1328 EARLIEST RECORD: Salechoc DATE: 1208 MEANING: probably from GOIDELIC socach `snout, land in the fork of two streams'.
SCONE OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Scone DATE: 1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Sgoinde DATE: c.1020 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC sgonn `lump, mound'. It probably refers to the Mote Hill, the meeting place of the Scottish kings from the 8th century. It does not refer to the Stone of Scone.
SCOTLAND NAME ON MAP: Scotland DATE: c.940 MEANING: literally `the land of the Irish'. Ireland to the Romans was Scotia; Scotland was Caledonia or Alba. Irish Celtic invaders, traditionally led by the three sons of Erc, Fergus, Loarn and Angus, came to Scotland from Ulster in the 5th or 6th century bringing their name with them.
SCRABSTER OLD COUNTY: Caithness NAME ON MAP: Scrabester DATE: 1328 EARLIEST RECORD: Skarabolstad DATE: 1201 MEANING: probably OLD NORSE skjære `rocky' bólstathr `homestead'. The VIKING name Skari is another possibility.
SELKIRK OLD COUNTY: Selkirk NAME ON MAP: Selkirk DATE: 1306 EARLIEST RECORD: Selechyrca DATE: 1113 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH sele `hall' with cirice `church'.
SHETTLESTON OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Schedinestun DATE: 1186 EARLIEST RECORD: villa filii Sadin DATE: 1170 MEANING: "Scadin's OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village'".
SHISKINE OLD COUNTY: Bute (Arran) NAME ON MAP: Cesken DATE: a.1250 MEANING: GOIDELIC sescenn, seasgan `a marsh'.
SIMPRIN OLD COUNTY: Berwick NAME ON MAP: Sympring DATE: c.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Simprig DATE: 1159 MEANING: possibly from a personal name such as Sindbeorn.
SKELBO OLD COUNTY: Sutherland NAME ON MAP: Scellebol DATE: a.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Scelbo DATE: c.1210 MEANING: OLD NORSE skel `shell' bol `settlement'.
SKIPNESS OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Skipnish DATE: 1260 EARLIEST RECORD: Schepehinch DATE: c.1250 MEANING: OLD NORSE skip `ship' næs `headland'.
SKYE OLD COUNTY: Inverness (Hebrides) NAME ON MAP: Skey DATE: 1292 EARLIEST RECORD: Skitis DATE: 2nd century MEANING: probably GOIDELIC sgiathach `winged', from the aspect of the island when seen from the mainland.
SLAINS OLD COUNTY: Aberdeen NAME ON MAP: Slanys DATE: c.1280 EARLIEST RECORD: Slanes DATE: 1165‑9 MEANING: GOIDELIC sleamhuinn `smooth' ‑ais `place'.
SLAMANNAN OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Slethmanin DATE: 1250 MEANING: possibly from GOIDELIC slámannan `slices', here used in some sense such as `terraces'.
SLEAT OLD COUNTY: Inverness (Skye) NAME ON MAP: Slate DATE: a.1400 MEANING: OLD NORSE slétta `plain'.
SOLWAY FIRTH OLD COUNTY: Dunfries NAME ON MAP: Sulway DATE: c.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Sulewad DATE: 1218 MEANING: OLD NORSE súl `pillar' vath `ford' fjorthr `firth'. A granite boulder known as the Lochmaben Stone once marked the Scottish side of the stream. OLD NORSE súla `the Solan goose' is a possible alternative.
SPEY (RIVER) OLD COUNTY: Banff, Inverness NAME ON MAP: Spe DATE: 1124 EARLIEST RECORD: Tvesis DATE: 2nd century MEANING: unknown. The early form is presumably Ptolemy's attempt at the BRYTHONIC name.
SPOTT OLD COUNTY: East Lothian NAME ON MAP: Spot DATE: 1298 MEANING: OLD NORSE spotti `a bit, a piece'.
STENHOUSEMUIR OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Stanus DATE: 1264 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH stan `stone' hus `house'. Moor was added by 1601.
STENTON OLD COUNTY: East Lothian NAME ON MAP: Steinton DATE: a.1150 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH stan `stone' tun `settlement, village', influenced by OLD NORSE stein `stone'.
STEVENSTON OLD COUNTY: Ayr NAME ON MAP: Stevenstoun DATE: 1246 MEANING: "Stephen's or Steven's tun `settlement, village'". The personal name derives from the GREEK for `crown'.
STEWARTON OLD COUNTY: Ayr NAME ON MAP: Stewartoun DATE: 1201 MEANING: "Steward's tun `settlement, village'". See the entry for Stewart under Clan Names.
STIRLING OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Strevelyn DATE: 1295 EARLIEST RECORD: Strevelin DATE: a.1124 MEANING: uncertain: possibly GOIDELIC sruth `stream' and lann `enclosed land'.
STORNOWAY OLD COUNTY: Ross & Cromarty (Lewis) NAME ON MAP: Stornochway DATE: 1511 MEANING: OLD NORSE stjorn `steerage, rudder' vágr `bay'. Although the first record is late, the name is probably much older.
STRACHAN OLD COUNTY: Aberdeen NAME ON MAP: Strathechin DATE: 1333 EARLIEST RECORD: Stratheyhan DATE: a.1153 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC srathan `little valley'.
STRANRAER OLD COUNTY: Wigtown NAME ON MAP: Stranrever DATE: c.1320 MEANING: GOIDELIC sròn `nose, point' reamhar `thick'.
STRATHALLAN OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Strathalun DATE: 1187 MEANING: "GOIDELIC srath `valley' [of the] Allan. The river name is possibly BRYTHONIC and may mean `very white'.
STRATHBLANE OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Strablane DATE: c.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Strachblachan DATE: c.1200 MEANING: "GOIDELIC srath `valley' of Blane [Water]". The meaning of the river name is unknown.
STRATHCLYDE NAME ON MAP: Streclued DATE: a.1150 EARLIEST RECORD: Stratduttenses (a misprint) DATE: a.910 MEANING: GOIDELIC srath `valley' [of the] Clyde. The river name, recorded as Clota in the 2nd century, is probably BRYTHONIC and may be related to LATIN cluo `wash' or cloaca `sewer'.
STRATHKINNESS OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Kinninis DATE: 1156 EARLIEST RECORD: Stradkines DATE: 1144 MEANING: "GOIDELIC srath `valley' [of the] Kinness [Burn]". The river name may be GOIDELIC ceann `head' with ness `cape' or with an `the' eas `waterfall'.
STRATHMIGLO OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Stramygloke DATE: 1294 EARLIEST RECORD: Scradmigglock DATE: a.1200 MEANING: GOIDELIC srath `valley' with (possibly) GOIDELIC muclach `swine‑pen' or with mig `marsh' and loch.
STRAVITHIE OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Struuithin DATE: 1144 MEANING: GOIDELIC srath `valley' with (possibly) GOIDELIC mheith `rich, fertile'.
STROMA OLD COUNTY: Caithness NAME ON MAP: Stroma DATE: 1455 MEANING: OLD NORSE straumr `current' ey `island'. The Pentland Firth must have been a real challenge in a longboat.
STRONE OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Stron DATE: c.1400 MEANING: GOIDELIC sròn `nose, headland'.
SUNART OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Swynwort DATE: 1372 MEANING: "Sven's (a Viking name) OLD NORSE fjordr `fjord'".
SWINTON OLD COUNTY: Berwick NAME ON MAP: Swintun DATE: c.1120 EARLIEST RECORD: Suineston DATE: c.1098 MEANING: either Suen or OLD ENGLISH swin `swine' with tun `settlement, village'.
SYMINGTON OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Symondstone DATE: a.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Villa Symonis Loccardi DATE: c.1189 MEANING: "Simon's OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village'". The personal name derives from HEBREW Shimeon `hearkening'. For the 1189 reference, see the entry for Lockhart under Clan Names.