Kirk (placename element)

Kirk is found as an element in many place names in Scotland, England, and North America. It is derived from kirk, meaning General Assembly ”Government” and "Church". In Scotland, it is sometimes an English translation from a Scots Gaelic form involving cille or eaglais, both words for 'church'.[1] Rarely it is found in Anglicisations of Continental European placenames which originally had Dutch kerk or a related form.

## List

[edit]

Kirk by itself is the name of two places:

* Kirk, Caithness, Highland
* Kirk, Colorado, a US town

More usually it is an element in a compound name. The remainder of this article is a list of some of these.

In Scotland

* Ashkirk, Scottish Borders
* Falkirk
* Halkirk, Caithness, Highland
* Kirkbuddo, Angus
* Kirkburn, Scottish Borders
* Kirkcowan, Dumfries and Galloway
* Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway
* Kirkconnel, Dumfries and Galloway
* Kirkfieldbank, South Lanarkshire
* Kirkhill, Highland
* Kirkhill, South Lanarkshire
* Kirkhope, Scottish Borders
* Kirkliston, Edinburgh
* Kirkmaiden, Dumfries and Galloway
* Kirkmichael, South Ayrshire
* Kirkmuirhill, South Lanarkshire
* Kirknewton, West Lothian
* Kirkoswald, South Ayrshire
* Kirkton of Skene, Aberdeenshire, and many other Kirktons, all tiny, and mostly matched with a Castleton or a Milton.
* Kirk, Caithness, Highland
* Kirkton (various)
* Kirkwall, Orkney
* Kirkwood, Coatbridge
* Kirkwood Estate, East Ayrshire
* Kirk Yetholm, Scottish Borders
* Prestonkirk, East Lothian
* Selkirk, Scottish Borders

In certain situations however, apparent instances of Kirk are, in their first element, from the Scots Gaelic word Cathair meaning a seat or fortress.[2]

* Kirkcaldy, Fife
* Kirkintilloch

In England (by Lieutenancy area)

* County Durham
* Kirk Merrington
* Romaldkirk (formerly North Riding of Yorkshire)
* Cambridge
* Kirkham
* Kirkgate
* Chadkirk, Cheshire
* Cumbria
* Kirkbride
* Kirkby-in-Furness
* Kirkby Kendal
* Kirkoswald
* Kirkland, Woodside, Cumberland
* Kirkland, Lamplugh, Cumberland
* Kirkland, Culgaith, Westmorland and Furness
* Kirkstone Pass
* Lancashire/ Merseyside
* Kirkdale, Liverpool, Merseyside
* Kirkby, Merseyside
* Kirkham
* Kirkland
* Kirkholt
* Ormskirk
* Church Kirk (meaning church church; a tautology)
* Colkirk, Norfolk
* Peakirk, Northamptonshire
* Nottinghamshire
* Kirkby-in-Ashfield
* Kirklington
* Northumberland
* Kirkharle
* Kirkhaugh
* Kirkheaton
* Kirknewton
* Kirkley, Suffolk
* Lincolnshire
* Kirkby on Bain
* Kirkstead
* Yorkshire
* East Riding of Yorkshire
* Kirkburn
* North Yorkshire
* Kirkbymoorside
* Kirkdale
* Kirkham
* Kirklevington
* Kirkleatham
* Kirklington
* Felixkirk
* West Yorkshire
* Kirkhamgate
* Kirkheaton
* Kirklees
* Kirkstall
* Kirkburton
* Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmoreland

In France

* Dunkirk, Nord-Pas-de-Calais (from Dutch Duinkerke; French Dunkerque)

In North America

* Kirkpatrick, Oregon, United States
* Newkirk, Oklahoma, United States
* Kirkland, Washington, United States
* Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada, named after Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Falkirklocalhistorysociety.co.uk".
2. ^ "Rannsaich an Stòr-dàta Briathrachais Gàidhlig".

## See also

[edit]

* Kirk \- main article
* Kirk (disambiguation)
* Kirk (surname)
* Kirk (given name)
* List of generic forms in British place names
* Aber and Inver as place-name elements