The names Cardiff and Caerdydd appear today on signposts leading into the capital city of Wales. But how did these forms come about?

Caerdyf, a form which dates to the early 6th century at least, contains two place-name elements. The first is Welsh caer, 'fort, stronghold, enclosure' which is often seen in Welsh place names. This is followed by Taf, a river-name in its genitive form Tyf, mutated to Dyf - 'fort (of the river) Taf'.

The form Cardiff recorded in 1477 represents an anglicised pronunciation of Caerdyf, while Caerdydd demonstrates the interplay between the f and dd consonants in the Welsh language.

More about the name Cardiff
Radyr - origins of the name

Because the forms of place names change and develop over time it's often dangerous to try to guess the meaning of a place on the basis of today's form.

Some for example, identified the second element as Welsh dydd 'day' and produced a fanciful etymology of 'day fort'. I was once told by an eminent lecturer, that it was called Caerdydd because the Roman fort at Caerleon (Cairlion c.1150) 'fort of the legions', was a day's march from Caerdydd . Needless to say, place-name etymology was not his forte.

Incidentally, every time I read Kerdif, in a document dated 1133-47, I am reminded of Mr Frank Hennessy. His local Cardiff accent echoes the old Gwentian dialect, recorded in that 12th century manuscript.

Llandaf (Llan Daf c.1400) also contains the Taf river name as one of its elements. Welsh llan which originally meant 'enclosed land' signifies a church, so that Llandaf would be 'church by the Taf'. There may have been a Christian settlement here as early as the late 7th century. Unlike Caerdyf, the river name has not taken the genitive form. It was a later name, and coined at a time when genitive forms were no longer in Welsh usage.

Other religious houses are also represented in local place-names. Whitchurch (Whitchurche 1376) appears to be a translation of the earlier Latin Album Monasterium 1296, and French Blankmoster (blanc moustier) 1322, and I suppose that the name describes the whitewashed walls of the religious building, or possibly the light colour of the stone-work.

Welsh speakers refer to it as Yr Eglwys Newydd, (c.1566) 'the new church'. This is later, and implies that a new church had been built on the site of, or near to the site of the earlier white church. This later building was known in English as Newchurch 1472 and Newchurche 1600-7, but the name did not survive. The earlier Whitchurch name endured among the English speaking fraternity. Grey Friars, a religious house belonging to the Franciscan order was located near to the North Gate. It became the residence of the Herbert Family c.1547, and was renamed The Friars, later to become The White Friars, while the Black Friars 1340, a priory or house belonging to the Dominican order, was sited on the eastern banks of the Taf, near to the West Gate.

The West Gate, also known as Port Miskin (porth Meisgyn) 1536-39, would have taken travellers past the Black Friars and on to the Lordship of Meisgyn. The East Gate, also known as Porte Crokerton 1536-39, opened onto Crockerton Street (a crocker is a maker of crocks or pots). This was located near the bottom end of today's Queen Street.

The North Gate alias Port Singhenith (porth Sengennydd)1536-39, led to the Grey Friars and onwards to the Cantref of Senghennydd and the Glamorgan hills. North Gate Street became North Road, the forerunner of the A470.

The South Gate alias Porthllongeu (porth llongau) the Ship Gate 1536-39 would have led to the quay, and to St Maryes church. Today's Quay Street reminds us of its earlier location on the banks of the river Taf. (The river course was diverted between 1828 and 1832)

Street names

Some of the early street names recalled their usage: Shoemakers' Street; Working Street possibly derived from ward or warth, marshland, wasteland; Smith Street; Duck Street, later Duke Street; Worton Street - a street near an enclosure for growing vegetables or herbs, was known under other related names - Heol y cawl, Broth Lane, Porrag Lane and Porridge Lane. Womanby Street was Houndemanneby 1310, a Norse word referring to the home or dwelling of a hounds' man.

The two parish churches within the town walls were St Mary the Virgin, to the south, and St John the Baptist to the east. The former is named in today's St Mary's Street. St John's Street was the old name of the present Church Street.

Around Cardiff

Among the hamlets of the parish of Llandaf listed in 1578, we find Gabalva, Canton and faire Water. Gabalva (ceubal + -fa) means 'boat place' and indicates a ferry crossing place on the river Taf.

Canton, (Caneton 1247) Welsh Treganna, probably equates with the 'farm (of the) Canna (brook)', while Fairwater, Welsh Tyllgoed is interesting.

Tyllgoed is recorded as Tull Coit c 1150. Tyllgoed is the name for a stream that burrows through the woods. In this case, its source is a spring, and its sweet waters are described as bella aqua c.1150. Bella aqua is Latin for fair water.

In 1578, the splott is recorded within the Parish of Roth, and is held by the Lord of Landaph. It was a manor house, and later the name of two farms, Splot Higher and Lower. Take the initial 's' away from the name and you are left with a plot (of land). Suggestions for the origin include a truncation of 'God's Plot' or a derivasion of 'plat' meaning grassy area of land.

Roath, Welsh Y Rhath, is likely to be linked to Irish ráth, and probably refers to a fortification in that area. The old manor house here was surrounded by a ditch that was probably part of the early fortification. One etymologist maintains that Roath Court Funeral Home on Newport Road, was located close to the site of the old manor house.

More about place names in Wales