Welsh Place names (Corruptions)

Corruption of Welsh Place-names
Corruptions are not necessarily bad, as they are part of the process of language evolution. However some place names shown below, have been needlessly changed due to lack of respect for local culture/ colonialism.
Google maps uses only the English versions.

Key: *important please read*

-> Anglicised to (Welsh name corrupted to English)
-   Possibly co-evolved
<- Welsh corruption of Old English name (Saxon etc)

Flintshire/Sir Fflint

1. Bwlch y Clai - Buckley
2. Yr Wyddgrug -> Mold
3. Brychdyn <- Broughton
4. Pen ar lag -> Hawarden
5. Treffynnon -> Holywell
6. Yr Hob - Hope
7. Ewlo -> Ewloe
8. Glannau Dyfrdwy - Deeside
9. Coed y Llai -. Leeswood
10. Pentre Helygain -> Pentre Halkyn
11. Y Fflint -> Flint
12. Chwitffordd -> Whitford
13. Pentre Catherall -> New Brighton
    (changed by an English industry owner to accommodate workers imported from Wirral)

Wrecsam

1. Rhiwabon -> Ruabon
2. Ceiriog (Y Waun) ->Chirk (Roman bastardisation)
3. Bryncunallt -> Brynkinallt (mine)
4. Llai -> Llay
5. Bradle ->Bradley 
6. Bangor is y coed -> Bangor on Dee
7. Erbistog - Erbistock
8. Marchwiail (strong twigs) -> Marchwiel
9. Y Mwynglawdd - Minera
10. Ial -> Yale

Denbighshire/ Sir Ddinbych

1. Dinbych (small fort) -> Denbigh
2. Rhuthun (from Rhudd din/red city) -> Ruthin
3. Llanelwy - St Asaph
4. Afon Chwiler -> River Wheeler
5. Bryniau Clwyd -> Clwydian Range
6. Abaty Glyn Egwestl / Abaty Glyn y Groes - Valle Crucis Abbey
7. Bwlch yr Oernant - Horsehore pass 
8. Afon Dyfrdwy -> River Dee (Welsh name from a 'Celtic' goddess of water)

North West Wales/ Gwynedd + Mon + Conwy

1. Y Bermo/Abermaw ->Barmouth (Corrupted to English by the threat of trade embargo from 18th century merchants unable to pronounce the place name)
2. Conwy -> Conway
3. Cricieth -> Criccieth
4. Aberdyfi -> Aberdovey
5. Ynys Seiriol -> Puffin Island
6. Rhosyr -> Newborough (Welsh later changed this to Niwbwrch/Niwbro)
7. Morfa Henddol -> (renamed by new settlement to:) Fairbourne
8. Yr Wyddfa -> Snowdon
9. Rhaeadr Ewynnol -> Swallow Falls
10. Rhaeadr y Graig Lwyd -> Conwy Falls
11. Mochras -> Shell Island
12. Porth y Wygyr -> Beaumaris Castle (Biwmares)
13. Llanmaes - Original settlement of Beaumaris - name change was imposed by the Normans
14. Caergybi -> Holyhead
15. Ynys Mon ->Anglesey
16. Nant y Pandy -> The Dingle (Ynys Mon)  (Commercial reasons/nature reserve)
17. Traeth Coch -> Red Wharf bay (now converted back)
18. Pen Llŷn -> Lleyn Penisula
19. Ynys Enlli -> Bardsey Island
20. Yr Eifl -> The Rivals
21. Cilfoden - Bethesda (1819)
22. Bae Cinmel - Kinmel bay
23. Llandrillo yn Rhos -> Rhos on sea
24. (Pen) y Gogarth -> Great Orme (Norse origin)
25. Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid -> The Skerries 
26. Porthaethwy - Menai Bridge (area) 
27. Llyn Tegid -> Bala Lake

Ceredigion

1. Ceredigion (Aberteifi) -> Cardigan
2. Llwyn Angharad -> Lovesgrove (an aristocratic estate near Aberystwyth)
3. Cei Newydd -> New Quay
4. Gwy -> Wye
5. Hafren -> Severn (Severn ironically is from an ancient retained Celtic name!)
6. Craig-glais -> Constitution Hill (Victorian tourist slang name)
7. Llanbedr Pont Steffan -> Lampeter
8. Pumlumon -> Plynlimon
9. Y Groes - New Cross
10. Nant-y-Fallen -> Bow Street (possible original pre-London Welsh name)

Powys

1. Crug Hywel -> Crickhowell  (Crug Hywel is also the native name for nearby "Table top mountain")
2. Trefaldwyn - Montgomery
3. Llanandras -> Presteigne
4. Brychain (Aberhonddu) -> Brecon
5. Tref y Clawdd ->Knighton
6. Y Gelli -> Hay on Wye
7. Afon Llugwy -> River Lugg
8. Rhaeadr Gwy -> Rhayader
9. Llanfair ym Muallt -> Builth Wells
10. Wysg (Brynbuga) -> Usk
11. Trallwng -> Pool -> Welshpool (1835)
12. Maesyfed -> New Radnor
13. Pencraig -> Old Radnor
14. Abaty Cwm Hir - Abbey Cwmhir
15. Cleirwy -> Clyro
16. Llangatwg -> Llangattock
17. Pont Senni -> Sennybridge
18. Cegidfa - Guilsfield
19. Aberriw -> Berriew
20. Caerhywel -> Caerhowel
21. Ceri -> Kerry
22. Y Mynydd Du -> Black Mountain
23. Y Mynyddoedd Duon -> The Black Mountains
24. Yr Ystog - Churchstoke
25. Penfford Las -> Staylittle (quick horse shoeing times)
26. Twmpa -> Lord Hereford's Knob
27. Llyn Efyrnwy -> Lake Vyrnwy
28. Y Clas ar Wy -> Glasbury 
29. Llyn Safaddan - Llangorse lake (Llangors (sans 'e' was the swampy parish area)

Sir Benfro/ Pembrokeshire

1. Dinbych y Pysgod -> Tenby
2. Tredraeth-> Newport (Pembs)
3. Ty Ddewi -> St David's
4. Ynys Dewi -> Ramsey Island
5. Hwlffordd -> Haverfordwest
6. Abergwaun -> Fishguard
7. Arberth -> Narberth
8. Llandudoch -> St Dogmaels
9. Camros (crooked moor) -> Camrose
10. Llanussyllt - Saundersfoot
11. Aberdaugleddau (Mouth of the two swords) - Milford Haven
12. Caeriw -> Carew 
13. Treletert - Letterson 
14. Cas Blaidd - Wolf's Castle 
15. Ynys Bŷr -> Caldey Island

Sir Gaerfyrddin/ Carmarthen

1. Caerfyrddin -> Carmarthen
2. (Castell-newydd) Emlyn -> Newcastle emlyn
3. Llanymddyfri -> Llandovery
4. Cydweli - Kidwelly
5. Talacharn -> Laugharne
6. Hendy Gwyn -> Whitland
7. Talyllychau -> Talley
8. Rhydaman -> Ammanford (somehow an extra 'm' was added)

South Wales Valleys/ Cymoedd De Cymru

1. Abertyleri -> Abertillery
2. Aberdâr -> Aberdare
3. Aberpennar -> Mountain Ash (housing estate orig.)
4. Rhyd Aman -> Ammanford
5. Pontypwl -> Pontypool
6. Blaenafon -> Blaenavon
7. Glyn Ebwy -> Ebbw Vale
8. Caerfili -> Caerphilly
9. Y Coed Duon - Blackwood
10. Rhisga -> Risca
11. Abercynffig -> Aberkenfig
12. Meisgyn -> Miskin
13. Treorci -> Treorchy
14. Castell Nedd -> Neath
15. Pen y bont (ar ogwr) -> Bridgend
16. Glyn-nedd -> Glynneath
17. Merthyr Tudful -> Merthyr Tydfil (local welsh dialect spelling)
18. Rhos Solfen (Resolfen) -> Resolven
19. Cil y Coed -> Caldicot
20. Rhymni -> Rhymney
21. Crymlyn - Crumlin
22. Blaendulais -> Seven Sisters
23. Brynaman -> Brynamman
24. Cwm Sirhywi -> Sirhowy valley
25. Aberafan -> Aberavon -> Port Talbot
26. Y Blaenau -> Blaina
27. Pont Y Gwaith -> Tylorstown (forced to change by colliery owners)
28. Glynrhedog -> Ferndale
    (a deliberate change by colliery owner to make it easier to pronounce for english speaking migrant workers) 
29. Trecelyn -> Newbridge 
30. Y Cendl - Beaufort 
31. Llangrallo -> Coychurch  
32. Blaendulais -> Seven Sisters
33. Tonysguboriau -> Talbot Green

Ardal Abertawe/ Swansea area

1. Abertawe -> Swansea
2. Dyfnant -> Dunvant
3. Tregŵyr -> Gowerton
4. Pontybrenin - Kingsbridge
5. Ystum Llwynarth -> Oystermouth (Gower)
6. Y Mwmbwls <- The Mumbles (what was the original name?)
7. Llandeilo Ferwallt -> Bishopston (Swans)
8. Treforys <- Morriston (Welsh after English built estate - originally; Llangyfelach )
9. Glandwr -> Landore (Swan)
10. Y Sgeti (ynys Ceti) -> Sketty
11. Felindre - Velindre (although 'v' more common in Welsh in past)
12. (Penrhyn) Gŵyr -> Gower (Penisula)
13. Cas-llwchwr -> Loughor
14. Llansawel - Briton Ferry

South Glamorgan/ De Morgannwg

1. Gwenfô - Wenvoe
2. Morgannwg -> Glamorgan
3. Rhiwbeuno -> Rhiwbina
4. Llwyn Fedw -> Birchgrove (Cardiff)
5. Llysfaen -> Lisvane (Cardiff)
6. Y Pil -> Pyle
7. Llanilltud Fawr -> Llantwit Major
8. Caerdyf-> Caerdydd -> Cardiff
9. Llandaf -> Llandaff
10. Llaneirwg -> St Mellon
11. Llandŵ -> Llandow
12. Tresigin -> Sigingstone
13. Y Rhath -> Roath
14. Trelái -> Ely (Cardiff)
15. Lle-Helygwydd -> Llecwydd -> Leckwith (Cardiff)
16. Y Bont Faen ->Cowbridge
17. Waunadda - Adamstown
18. Y Sblot (Allotments) -> Splott
19. Eglwys Llwyd - Ludchurch 
20. Ynys Echni - Flatholm 
21. Sili -> Sully
22. Larnog -> Lavernock 
23. Sain Ffagan -> St Fagans 
24. Treganna -> Canton (Cardiff) 
25. Sain Tathan - >Saint Athan.
26. Sain Dunwyd- > St Donats.
27. Y Wig -> Wick.
28. Trebeferad -> Boverton.
29. Yr as fawr -> Monknash.
30. Aberddawen-> Aberthaw.
31. Y Rhws- Rhoose.

Old Monmouthshire/Sir Hen Fynwy

1. Mynwy ->Monmouth
2. Abergafenni ->Abergavenny (Slang name: Y Fenni)
3. Cas-Gwent - Chepstow
4. Porth Ysgewin -> Portskewett
5. Rhaglan -> Raglan 
6. Tyndyrn ->Tintern
7. Llanarfan -> St. Arvans
8. Ynysgynwraidd -> Skenfrith
9. Pen y Fal -> Sugar Loaf 
10. Llanddewi Nant Honddu -> Llanthony

Newport/Casnewydd



1. Casnewydd (ar Wysg) - Newport (on Usk) 
2. Caerllion -> Caerleon

    (Caerllion = Fort of a legion)



Outside Cymru/Wales (most are admittedly corrupted many centuries ago)

1. Llanllieni -> Leominster (now England)
2. Rhosan ar wy -> Ross on wye
3. Caergloyw - Gloucester (possible co-evolution, though glou from gloyw (shining))
4. Moelfryn -> Malvern (Now in England)
5. Sylatyn -> Selattyn (taken into England after Act of Union, 1536)
6. Afon Colunwy -> River Clun
7. Cwmdŵr - Golden Valley
8. Pen Bedw - Birkenhead
9. Cilgwri - Wirral
10. Ynys ->Ince (Cheshire)
11. Llwydlo - Ludlow 
12. Llynlleifiad - Liverpool
13. Môr Hafren -> Severn Sea
14. Dwfr -> Dover
15. Pontyffraith -> Pontefract
16. Gwendwr -> Wendover (possibly) 
17. Penybont -> Pembridge (Herefordshire) 
18. Ceintun - Kington (co-evolved) 
19. Fforest Ddena - Forest of Dean