german placename etymology

Placenames in the German language area can be classified by the language from which they originate, and by their age.

Celtic names, used in prehistoric times in the southern and western parts of the German language area. Examples: Mainz (from Latin Moguntiacum, derived from a Celtic name), Remagen (from Latin Rigomagus, from a Celtic name meaning "king's field").

from classical times, when the southern and western parts of the German language area belonged to the Roman Empire. Examples: Koblenz (from Confluentes "joining rivers"), Kln (Cologne) (from Colonia "colony"), Aachen (from Aquae "springs"), Augsburg (from Augusta "city of Augustus" and the Germanic suffix -burg).
from medieval times, when Latin was the language of church and administration. Examples: Mnchen (Munich) (from monachus "monk"), Mnster (from monasterium "monastery").

Slavic names. From the Iron Age until recently, Slavic languages such as Polabian, Sorbian and Slovenian were spoken in many eastern parts of the German language area. Examples: Berlin, Chemnitz (from Caminici), Leipzig (Sorbian: Lipsk, from lipa "linden"), Leuna (from Lunaw), Rostock (from Old Polabian rostok "river fork"), Schwerin.

with the suffix -um or -heim (cognate to English home and the English place name suffix -ham). Examples: Bochum, Borkum, Bsum.
with the suffix -ingen (meaning "descendants of", used with a personal name as the first part). Examples: Gttingen, Sindelfingen, Sigmaringen, Tbingen.

with the suffix -stadt or -stedt ("city"). Examples: Darmstadt, Neustadt.
with the suffix -burg ("castle"). Examples: Hamburg, Duisburg, Freiburg, Luxembourg (Luxembourg), Regensburg, Salzburg, Straburg (Strasbourg).
with the suffix -berg ("mountain"). Example: Heidelberg, Nrnberg (Nuremberg).
with the suffix -dorf or -torf ("village"). Example: Dsseldorf.
with the suffix -furt ("ford"). Examples: Erfurt, Frankfurt.
with the suffix -brcken or -brck ("bridge"). Example: Saarbrcken, Osnabrck.
with the suffix -hausen ("house"). Examples: Mlhausen, Schaffhausen.
with the suffix -feld ("field"). Example: Bielefeld.
with the suffix -werth, -wrth or -ort ("holm"). Example: Kaiserswerth, Donauwrth, Ruhrort

German names from modern times. They usually follow the established patterns. Examples: Wuppertal ("Wupper valley"), Karl-Marx-Stadt ("Karl Marx city"), Wilhelmshaven ("William's harbour", referring to King Wilhelm I of Prussia).

See also