Where does “Berserkeley” come from?
Berserkeley (English) comes from English berserk, from Old Norse berserkr, from Old Norse serkr, from Proto-Germanic sarkiz, from Proto-Indo-European swerg-, from Proto-Indo-European sēr-, from Proto-Indo-European ser- — to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together.
Ancestry of “Berserkeley”, step by step
Berserkeley traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English berserk
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | berserk | A crazed Norse warrior who fought in a frenzy; a... |
| 2 | Old Norse | berserkr | a Scandinavian warrior; a raging warrior of... |
| 3 | Old Norse | serkr | A shirt |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | sarkiz | sark, shirt; coat of mail |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | swerg- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sēr- | to flow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ser- | to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together |
via English Berkeley
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Berkeley | An English barony |
| 2 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |