English County Names

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Where does the name 'Kent' originate? As an abbreviation of Canterbury, Kent's main city From 'cant', Middle English for slope, as the county is hilly From the Celtic Cantii people From the past tense of 'ken', meaning to know, as the area was well-explored

2. Where does the 'Hamp' in Hampshire come from? From the fields of hemp grown there in the Middle Ages From the Norman town of 'Hamptun' From the humps or barrows found in the area It is of unknown origin

3. Where does the name 'Suffolk' originate? From the Suffolc, a legendary giant said to have created the county From the Anglo-Norman for 'subordinates' It was the Saxon for 'Southern Folk' From the Old Norse for 'oak forests'

4. And where does the 'Wilt' in 'Wiltshire' come from? From the white chalk hills in the county From the tendency of crops to wilt, due to the infertile soil From the village of Wilbury, near Salisbury From the Wilsaetan Saxons, who lived in the area

5. Next, why 'Middlesex'? Meaning 'land of the Middle Saxons' Middle from 'midden' (toilet) due to London's notorious stench, Sex from 'Saxon' It means 'middle county' in Old English As a corruption of 'middle six', the six boroughs nearest London

6. Where does 'Northumberland' come from? Umber from the colour of the earth there, north from its location in England From north, and umber for its shadiness (as in penumbra) From the Northumbe river which flows through the county From a Saxon kingdom located north of the Humber Estuary

7. And the name 'Cumbria' arises from where? From the long umbra, or shadows, of the mountains As a corruption of 'Cumberland', a former English county It was an ancient Celtic kingdom, the name possibly being related to 'Cymru' for Wales Because it reminded Roman settlers of Umbria, in present-day Italy

8. Why is 'Cornwall' so-called? From a wall built by Offa the Great to prevent trading in corn From Latin 'Cornu' (horn) and Old English 'wahl' (foreign) From the large quantities of corn grown in the county, and the 'Western Wall' From 'Wallis' Horn', Wallis being a legendary local hero

9. Where does 'Shropshire' arise from? From the Welsh Ashrop, or 'Green hills' From the local Celtic tribe the Shroop As a corruption of Shrewsburyshire, which Normans could not pronounce From Shrop Hill in the centre of the county

10. And finally, which of these is an explanation for how Surrey acquired its name? Short for 'surrender', as the land was easily conquered by the Saxons From 'Sudergeona', meaning 'Southern Region' As a variation of 'surly', a comment on its early inhabitants From the River Surr, a tributary of the Wey