Place names related to reclamations

The legacy of bog reclamation is still clearly visible in place names. Place names often consist of compound words. Former reclamation settlements can often still be recognised by certain endings that once referred to a location in the boglands or other unclaimed territory. Some examples are;

 

• veen; this ending and its variants refer to a wetland that was covered with sphagnum moss peat. Still recognisable in Amstelveen, Heerenveen, Hoogeveen,                              Ihlowerfehn (D.) and The Fens (UK). Cognate to English 'fen', Frisian 'fean' and German 'Fehn'.

 

• moer; this ending can still be recognised in the reclamation settlements of Texalmore, Langenmore, Brettenmore, Ostmore and Geddingmore from ninth century Frisia.               The ending and variants thereof also refer to a wetland covered with sphagnum moss peat, and possibly to reclamation activities. Still recognisable in                              Moerdijk, Moordrecht, Moordorf (D.), Moormerland (D.), Dartmoor (UK), Exmoor (UK). Cognate to English 'moor' and German 'Moor'.

 

• -broek; this ending indicates a swamp forest. Still recognisable is Bennebroek, Lutjebroek, Breukelen (to which Brooklyn, US is named), Brookmerland (D.),                                    Brokdorf (D.). Cognate to English 'brook' and German 'Brook'.

 

• -woud, -wâld, -wold ; this ending and variants thereof are a more general reference to a vast, unclaimed forest, or a soggy swamp forest. Still recognisable in                              Hoogwoud, Damwâld, Feanwâlden, Oosterwolde, Cotswolds (UK), Schwarzwald (D.). Cognate to English ‘wold’ and German ‘Wald’.

 

• -meers, -mars; this ending refers to marshy (grass)land that could only be used as hay or pasture. Also often occurs as a stand-alone word. Still recognisable in                               Maarssen, Meerssen, Meers, Assebroekse Meersen. Cognate to English ‘marsh’ and German ‘Marsch’.
  

 

• -peet;              this ending is thought to indicate a regional Dutch term for reclamations in a bogland area. Cognate to English peat. Still recognisable in Nunspeet,                              Elspeet.

 

• -koop, -cop; this ending indicates an area that people were allowed to cultivate during the Grote Ontginningen - also known as cope-ontginningen - after signing a                               contract (a cope). The Grote Ontginningen were large-scale reclamation projects by the count of Holland and the bishop of Utrecht during the twelfth                              and thirteenth century. This ending is mainly found in the border region of the provinces Holland and Utrecht. Still recognisable in; Boskoop,                              Nieuwkoop, Middelkoop, Galecop, Benschop, Papekop.

 

• -rode, -rooi; this ending and variants indicates a cleared piece of forest. This type of reclamation did not take place until later in the Middle Ages during the                               twelfth and thirteenth centuries onward. Still recognisable in; Brederode, Berkel en Rodenrijs, Roden, Kerkrade, Wanroij, Venray.

 

• -delf, -delft; this ending comes from the verb delven, ‘to dig, to mine’. Not all place names with -delf can be traced back to reclamations; in the city of Delft, for                              instance, delf referred to a canal. Nevertheless, in some places -delf could possibly refer to ditches for draining peat, as in Assendelft.