Place names with an Anglo-Saxon Heathen origin in England are few and far between, but it may have not always been that way. We know for sure that the groves and temples that were used for the worship of gods and goddesses throughout England were converted to places of Christian worship and learning, so it's highly possible with the huge amount of place names containing a Christian element, such as a saint's name, that the place names were changed during or after the conversion of England to Christianity. Many churches that are found upon hills or by the side of a river are usually good candidates to be resting on a site where Heathen worship took place. But many names of a pre-Christian origin did survive, and do so to this day, whilst others survived long enough to be recorded within the Domesday Book in the 11th century only to be lost later. The surviving place names that have come down to us can tell us much about the Heathen religion of the Anglo-Saxons. They can tell us which god or goddess was worshipped or venerated in that particular area ( for more information on this please visit the pages in the Anglo-Saxon Gods and Goddesses section), and also whether the worship took place in a temple or grove. A place name that contains the name of a particular god or goddess was probably sacred to that one deity, whereas Heathen place names that contain no god or goddess name may have been an area where many were worshipped( for more information on this please visit the Temples, Groves and Idols page). The names that did survive to be with us today more than likely did so because they were located in remote areas where the Christian religion struggled to penetrate, allowing not just the place name to survive but also the worship of gods and goddesses long after the so-called conversion.
Aswell as names suggesting god and goddess worship you will also find names that were important in the history of Anglo-Saxon Heathenism, such as places of conversion or important burial sites. Plus you will also discover place names that show the wide and varied beliefs that the Heathens held concerning supernatural beings.
The map is not a complete list of all place names that are of Heathen origin, but it is a map that contains a good many of the surviving or lost names and where they are located throughout England. On the place name list you can click on the            logo to see that particular place and it's location in England at Multimap.com.
I'm always looking to add more place names to the list, so if you know any that you feel should be included please feel free to
contact me with them. Thank you.


(map will open in a new window)
Heathen Place Names
Map of Heathen English Place Names
Place names with an Anglo-Saxon Heathen origin in England are few and far between, but it may have not always been that way. We know for sure that the groves and temples that were used for the worship of gods and goddesses throughout England were converted to places of Christian worship and learning, so it's highly possible with the huge amount of place names containing a Christian element, such as a saint's name, that the place names were changed during or after the conversion of England to Christianity. Many churches that are found upon hills or by the side of a river are usually good candidates to be resting on a site where Heathen worship took place. But many names of a pre-Christian origin did survive, and do so to this day, whilst others survived long enough to be recorded within the Domesday Book in the 11th century only to be lost later. The surviving place names that have come down to us can tell us much about the Heathen religion of the Anglo-Saxons. They can tell us which god or goddess was worshipped or venerated in that particular area ( for more information on this please visit the pages in the Anglo-Saxon Gods and Goddesses section), and also whether the worship took place in a temple or grove. A place name that contains the name of a particular god or goddess was probably sacred to that one deity, whereas Heathen place names that contain no god or goddess name may have been an area where many were worshipped( for more information on this please visit the Temples, Groves and Idols page). The names that did survive to be with us today more than likely did so because they were located in remote areas where the Christian religion struggled to penetrate, allowing not just the place name to survive but also the worship of gods and goddesses long after the so-called conversion.
Aswell as names suggesting god and goddess worship you will also find names that were important in the history of Anglo-Saxon Heathenism, such as places of conversion or important burial sites. Plus you will also discover place names that show the wide and varied beliefs that the Heathens held concerning supernatural beings.
The map is not a complete list of all place names that are of Heathen origin, but it is a map that contains a good many of the surviving or lost names and where they are located throughout England. On the place name list you can click on the            logo to see that particular place and it's location in England at Multimap.com.
I'm always looking to add more place names to the list, so if you know any that you feel should be included please feel free to
contact me with them. Thank you.


(map will open in a new window)

This page was last
updated on: July 22,
2003