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 Eupedia Top > Belgium Guide Top > Names of Belgian communes |
Name patterns of cities, towns and villages in Belgium by categoryBelgian municipalities naturally have different sounding names depending on whether they lie in the Dutch-speaking, French-speaking or German-speaking region. But the history of Belgium being fairly complex for its size, place names can actually be divided in sub-regions matching the old medieval divisions. The Romans only left a handful of place names in Belgium.Place names in Flanders & BrusselsMany towns and villages in Flanders have names ending in -gem (e.g. Alveringem, Dentergem, Diegem, Eppegem, Izegem, Ichtegem, Maldegem, Nossegem, Petegem, Wevelgem, Wijnegem, Zottegem) or just -em (Bertem, Kraainem, Merchtem, Merksem, Oppem, Veltem, Wolvertem, Zaventem, Zichem). This "-em" ending corresponds to the English -ham (e.g. Birmingham, Cheltenham, Clapham, Nottingham, Rotherham, Wrexham), meaning hamlet or homestead.Other common names are those ending in -beke (Harelbeke, Jabbeke, Merelbeke, Meulebeke, Moerbeke, Oostrozebeke, Rumbeke, Wachtebeke, Wielsbeke) or -beek (Boortmeerbeek, Borsbeek, Etterbeek, Holsbeek, Hombeek, Humbeek, Molenbeek, Schaarbeek), and in -lare (Knesselare, Koekelare, Roeselare) or -laar (Artselaar, Berlaar, Hallaar, Rotselaar, Vorselaar). Names in -beke and -lare are found the the former County of Flanders (modern provinces East and West Flanders), while those in -beek and -laar are more common in the former Duchy of Brabant (Brussels, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp). Such name endings (except those in -beek) are almost completely absent in the province of Limburg. The interesting thing is that the province of Limburg was the only Dutch-speaking part of Belgium that did not belong to the Burgundian, then Habsburgian Netherlands, but to the independent Principality of Liege. The Limburg region, as well as the eastern part of the provinces of Antwerp and Flemish Brabant, have plenty of names ending in -om (Blekkom, Broekom, Gingelom, Miskom, Webbekom), in -ken (Alken, Lanaken, Kortenaken, Montenaken, Tereiken, Vissenaken) and in -zen (Bilzen, Grazen, Kozen, Muizen, Sluizen), which in turn are absent from the rest of Belgium. The ending -om is plausibly the equivalent of -em in the Limburgish dialect. Another regional variation in spelling can be seen with -dale (East & West Flanders), -dael (Brabant and Antwerp), and -daal (Limburg). This ending means "valley" and is also found in Northern England as "dale". Other endings are usually the same everywhere : -bos ("wood", "bush"), -berg(en) ("mount"), -broek ("brook", "creek"), -burg ("town"), -donk ("bog", "swamp"), -hout(en) ("wood"), -hoven ("haven", "harbour"), -kamp ("camp"), -kerk(en) ("church"), -veld ("field") and -voorde ("ford"). Place names in WalloniaPlace names in Wallonia usually have Frankish or Celtic origins, but have been latinised over time. Many such places still have a different name in Dutch, and sometimes also in German. Newer towns and villages have typical French names (e.g. "Charleroi", founded only 300 years ago). Most places with names ending in -sart or -champs tend to be newer (late Middle Ages) than the ones listed below (early Middle Ages). Those in -ville (e.g. Noville, Neuville, Villers-la-Ville, Bois-de-Villers...) are likely to be linked to the site of an ancient Roman villa.It is easier to categorise place names in Walonia by regions than in Flanders. For instance, in the Hesbaye region (between Namur and Liège, north of the Meuse), many place names start with Wa- (e.g. Wagnelée, Waleffe, Wandre, Wanze, Waremme, Waret, Warfusée, Warisoux, Warnant, Warneton, Waroux, Warzée, Wasseiges, Waya), which is typically Frankish. Names staring with "W" are in general quite common all over Wallonia (e.g. Wagnelée, Waha, Waharday, Waimes, Walhain, Walzin, Wancennes, Wanlin, Wanne, Warcoing, Wardin, Warempage, Warsage, Wattimez, Wavre, Wavreille, Weillin, Wégimont, Wegnez, Wenin, Wépion, Werbomont, Weris, Wibrin, Wideumont, Wiesme, Willerzie, Withimont, Wuébay) The region surrounding Liège is typical for its place names including an otherwise very rare "xh" (Cerexhe, Fexhe, Gleixhe, Kemexhe, Lexhy, Moxhe, Outrelouxhe, Trixhe, Xhendelesse, Xhendremael, Xheneumont, Xhenorie, Xhierfomont, Xhignesse, Xhoffraix , Xhoris), and names ending in -ster (Bovenister, Colonster, Commanster, Hodister, Jehanster, Pepinster, Thimister). The -ster ending probably comes from the Frankish name "munster", meaning "monastry". One particularity of Wallonia is its hybrid names mixing Germanic and Latin elements. Most names ending in -mont (from Latin "montis") and in -court (from Latin "curia") fall into this category. Names starting with a "H", "Ra", "Th", "W" or "X" are almost always of Germanic origin. For example, Near the linguistic border, it is common to translate the suffix "-mont" and "-court" by the Germanic equivalent "-berg" and "-hoven" or vice versa (e.g. Geraardsbergen <> Grammont, Bettincourt <> Bettenhoven, Racour <> Raatshoven). Other typical Germanic or Belgic (Celtic) suffixes common in Wallonia include :
Other typical old Germanic names that are difficult to categorise include : Awans, Awirs, Bilstain, Bolland, Ernonheid, Heyd, Manaihant, Melen, Mirwart, Moha, Orcq, Ortho, Oteppe, Pecq, Presgaux, Roeulx, Sensenruth, Stambruges, Tilff, Vielsalm, Vottem... Note that none of the above names belong to the German-speaking area of Wallonia, where almost all names are German.
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