British Isles Place Names
by Historical Dates
Ireland:
Antiquity until 200 AD, Ireland, Ancient Britain
Example: Tara , Meath, Ireland, Ancient Britain
200 AD (Old Celtic Kings) through 926 – Kingdom of Ireland, Ancient Britain
Example: Tara, Meath, Kingdom of Ireland, Ancient Britain
927 (High Kings come into power) -1 Jan 1800 – Kingdom of Ireland, Great Britai
Example: Tara, Meath, Kingdom of Ireland, Great Britain
1 Jan 1800 (Ireland joins UK) to Dec 1922
Example: Tara, Meath, Ireland, United Kingdom
1922 - IRISH REVOLUTION CAUSES DIVISION OF IRELAND
Dec 1922 – Present (Counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone – Ulster, United Kingdom
Example: Belfast, Antrim, Ulster, United Kingdom
Dec 1922 – Dec 1937 – Irish Free State (rest of counties except 6 that remained in UK)
Example: - Dublin, Fingal, Irish Free State
Dec 1937 – Present – Republic of Ireland (rest of counties except 6 that remained in UK)
Example: Dublin, Fingal, Republic of Ireland
Scotland:
Antiquity to 1000 – Scotland didn’t exist. The proper name was Alba and the inhabitants were a mixture of Picts, Scots, Vikings, Romans
Example: Dunfermline, Fife, Alba, Ancient Britain
1000 until 1 May 1707, Kingdom of Scotland, Great Britain
Example: Dunfermline, Fife, Kingdom of Scotland, Great Britain
1 May 1707 to Present – Scotland, United Kingdom
Example: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
Wales:
Antiquity to 500 – (Tribal). The country was roughly divided into Celtic principalities of Deceangli, Gangani, Ordovices, Silures, and Demetae These are not usually referred to in the place name.
If a tribe is identified, then it is added as a suffix to the name of the person. Example: Elystan of the Silures, and the place is usually modernized to show the current location if known.
After the Roman occupation ended in 410, the Celtic principalities were gradually replaced by Welsh Tribes and divided into separate kingdoms, Gwynedd, Powys, Deheubarth, Brycheniog, Morgannwg, and Gwent.
Example: Castel Madoc, Kingdom of Brycheniog, Wales, Ancient Britain
1282 Wales was divided in Counties. Great Britain until 1 May 1707.
Example: Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, Wales, Great Britain
1 May 1707 (Formation of UK) to 1996.
Example: Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, Wales, United Kingdom
1996 – The Counties were changed to a series of new counties based on the Old Welsh Tribal Counties and also into a series of 22 Council Areas. Many of the old Norman named counties also have Celtic Names. Either can be used in recording places.
Example: Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, United Kingdom
Example: Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales, United Kingdom –or-
Carmarthen, Sir Gaerfyrddin, Wales, United Kingdom
England:
Antiquity until 450 – Various Tribes in Ancient Britain also Romans
Example: St Ives, Dumnonia, Ancient Britain
450 to 750 – Six Kingdoms – Vikings, Danes, Anglo Saxons
Kingdom of Northumbria , Ancient Britain
Kingdom of Mercia , Ancient Britain
Kingdom of Wessex , Ancient Britain
Kingdom of Essex , Ancient Britain
Kingdom of Kent, Ancient Britain
Kingdom of Sussex , Ancient Britain
Example: St Ives, Cornwall, Kingdom of Sussex, Ancient Britain
750 to 1 May 1707 – Kingdom of England, Great Britain (Saxons, Normans)
Example: : St Ives, Cornwall, Kingdom of England, Great Britain
1 May 1707 to Present – England, United Kingdom
Example: St Ives, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
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