Toponymy occitane

In Occitanie, the majority of the place names (villages, localities, old parishes) have an origin occitane.

Celts with the Visigoths

Toponyms preceltic

a very old layer of toponyms goes back to origins of before the arrival of the Celts *: what is called pre-indo-European roots. There primarily remain traces of this antiquated language on the level of the relief: in particular tops, rivers and sometimes the habitat.

Thus the root kar-/gar- , stone is found in the Garonne. Side of Chalabre, in the Aude, the region of Kercorb, is also made of this kar-/ker- root.

the root Cl-app' , stone gives Clapiers, Clapas (traditional name occitan of Montpellier).
the word occitan cauna , cave , of origin prélatine gives Caunette.

Latin toponyms

the Roman presence has as a consequence Latinization in this Gaulle southernmost. In their land field, the Romans establish villae . It is thus understood that many current toponyms owe their name with a Gallo-Roman, Celtic owner Latinized or rewarded veteran.

names in - ac, example: Aurillac, Nérac, Florac, Ambazac
names in - year, example: Cucugnan, Sérignan, Samatan, Mimizan
names derived from gentilices Gallo-Roman which do not present these suffixations, example: Lézignan-Corbières comes from Licinianus or Albi comes from Albius.

Germanic toponyms

Rome, weakened by the chaos of the Lower Empire, cannot be opposed, at the 5th century with the Germanic invasions . In 418, the Honorius emperor owes déder the Aquitaine with the Visigoths which establish their capital with Toulouse; then it extend in Spain and, into 462, occupy Narbonne and the Septimanie. The memory of Alaric is maintained in the Mountain of Alaric which dominates the valley of the Aude between Carcassonne and Lézignan-Corbières.

names in - ens. the suffix - ingos, last - ens in occitan, was often added to names of Germanic people. Example, Tonneins.
terminations in - city. Just like in the north of the France, formations of toponyms in - city exist in Occitanie. They concentrate in the Toulouse region, and seem to correspond to a franque occupation of older Gallo-Roman fields. Example, Ramonville-Saint-Agne < Ragin + Mund.
of the Germanic names only, example, Routier comes from the German name Rotheri.

Toponyms occitans

Constructions

Strong castles

, Around a castle out of wooden or stone - defense work built on a natural hillock or atificiel (occitan mòta , “mound”) or of course, a rocky outcrop - villages develop.

Manors house, Castelars, Mounds and Castelnaus

Derived from Latin castellum , " small forteresse" , related itself with castrated which, at the time Gallo-Roman then in the Carolingian texts, indicated a " fortifié" city; , from where Castrate and Castries. The word manor house , " château" , is well-known in occitan ( chastel , in north-occitan, castèth in Gascon). Example, Castelnaudary in the Aude or Castelnau-le-Lez in the Herault. The term mòta formed many localities or toponyms such Lamothe-Cassel.

Other names of strong castles

If the occitan manor house has many representatives or derivatives, other terms of the language of oc of it are synonymous.

With the masculine Cairo , siginifie “angular stone, stone of size”; with female the will caira , " roche". What made it possible to indicate such or such strong construction. Examples: Belcaire or Beaucaire.
the term kept or gardia , in occitan, goes from the direction of " gardien" with that of " place of guet". Example: the Guard.
the word miranda is at the origin of Mirandol-Bourgnounac or Mirande.
the military direction that the occitan ròca can take, " roche". Examples: Laroque-with Olmes, Roquefort or Rochegude.
Salted , " salle" , which had the direction of " remain fortifiée". Examples: Rooms, Sallèles.
Tor or torre which wants to say “turn”. Example: Lastours.

Country houses

In Provence and in Low-Languedoc, a bastida indicates a country house or a farm. In South-west on the contrary the word takes the direction of a generally strengthened small town.

Reliefs

Heights

Tuc or Truc represents a “height”, in general, a “hillock” or a “hill”. This microtoponyme is extremely widespread in the countries occitans. An alternative juice exists too.
Mount, " mont" : innumerable are the places thus indicated, often with a determinant.
Latin podium , within the meaning of small eminence has, to some extent, an abundant descent: French puy, puèi in Béarn, puch, poi or piau in Gascogne, and, in the areas of speaking Languedocien, puèg, puòg, or pèch.
the suspends is in occitan, the " pente".
the còsta - " rise, slope, versant" is very frequent in microtoponymy.
the occitan ròca indicates not only a " roche" , a " rocher" , but also a " height rocheuse".
the word tightened indicates in occitan a “hill”. The Plain of the Greenhouses, in Resident of Agen, corresponds to true plates.

Plains

Resulting from Latin planum , the occitan plan indicates a plain. One finds thus, Pla in Ariège.
the term cauma or calmed indicates a “rock plate”, even a “moor”. Sometimes reduced to calm , camwood or edge .

Valleys

Val is female in occitan, very widespread.
the occitan comba means “small valley”.

Nature

The nature of the ground

the word occitan clap wants to say " hone, caillou". It formed some derivatives:

Clapa
Clapareda
Clapas
Rabbit burrow

Calhau , " caillou"
Còdol , " stone, galet"
Pèira , " pierre"

Water

Lo riu , " the ruisseau"
the fountain, the source - makes , in occitan and its derivatives fontana , fontaneta , fontanilha , fontet .
a synonym of make is dotz .

Vegetation

Trees

the hazel tree or to sew is the avelanièr ; From where the toponyms Lavelanet or the Abélanet.
the term albar indicates in general: white poplar, willow, viorne obier.
the birch says Languedocien nozzle in occitan. One finds there the origin of Besse.
the chestnut says castanh . One sees the origin of the names places Castans or Castanet-Tolosan.
the oak: the toponymy of the oak is extremely rich, because there exists a rather large variety of gasolines thus named.

Casse represents the oak stalk.
Garric , indicates the oak " kermès" , from where the name of garriga , “waste lands where the kermes push”.

the beech, fau or fag in occitan gives Lafage, Fau or Faget.

Wood and forests

the occitan bosc was largely used to indicate wooded extents.

Fauna

names of birds:

ausèl .
the crow, caucala in occitan.
the falcon, falquet or falcon .
the turtle-dove, will totolera or tortre .

mammals and various:

the rabbit, conilh .
frogs, graulhas .
the bear, golds .

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