Ballyvarnet, County Down
Origin
Ir. Baile Bhearnan ‘townland of (the) gap’
Background
The 17th-century spellings show that the present form derives from Irish Baile Bhearnan ‘townland of the gap’, the final n having been dissimilated to t. There is evidence elsewhere in Co. Down for dissimilation of this kind; see Ravernet (in Blaris) and Tullycarnet (in Knockbreda). In standard Modern Irish the normal gen. sing. of bearna ’a gap’ undergoes no change from the nom. sing. However, a variant gen. sing. form is bearnan, which shows that bearna was also treated as an n-stem. Forms 1-4 and 5b show that, at one time, the gen. sing. fem. form of the article na, was a part of this name. These forms represent an Irish original Baile na Bearnan ‘townland of the gap’.
References
Hannan R. J. (1992): Place-Names of Northern Ireland vol. 2 p. 160; revised PTAdditional Information
Historical name form
Old Form | Ref. Date | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ballenbarnen | 1603 | Ex. Inq. (Dn) 2 Jac. I |
Ballenbarnen | 1605 | CPR Jas I 38a |
Ballenebarnen | 1605 | CPR Jas I 72b |
Ballinebarnans, le 2 | 1605 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $2 Jac I |
(?)Ballebarne or Ballenebernen | 1630 | Ham. Patent [1630] xi |
Ballevernon or Ballevernocke | 1630 | Ham. Patent [1630] xi |
Ballebarnes al. Ballebrenan | 1644 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $104 Car I |
Ballyvernon | 1655c | Civ. Surv. x $68 |
Ballevernane | 1661 | BSD 90 |
Ballyvernan al. Ballyvernocke | 1662 | Inq. Ult. (Down) $23 Car II |
Ballyvernan | 1663 | Sub. Roll Down 281 |
Ballyvernon | 1681 | Ham. Copy Rental 110 |
Ballyvarnet | 1810 | Wm. Map (OSNB) No. 54 |
Ballyvernon | 1823 | Downshire Direct. 316 |
Ballyvarnet | 1830c | Bnd. Sur. (OSNB) No. 54 |
Ballyvarnett | 1830c | Grand Jury Pres. (OSNB) No. 54 |
Baile Bhearnáin ""town of the little gap..."" | 1834c | J O'D (OSNB) No. 54 |
- Barony
- Ards Lower
- Parish
- Bangor
- Parish in 1851
- Bangor
- Townland
- None
- Place name ID
- 17441
- Place name type
- T