Where does “Dumfriesshire” come from?

Dumfriesshire is the English name for a Scottish county derived from Dumfries, which comes from Scottish Gaelic Dùn Phris, of uncertain ultimate origin.

Dumfriesshire (English): which was abolished in 1975 and absorbed into Dumfries and Galloway Region. Its county town was Dumfries

Definitions

  1. which was abolished in 1975 and absorbed into Dumfries and Galloway Region. Its county town was Dumfries

Ancestry of “Dumfriesshire”, step by step

Dumfriesshire traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English shire

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshirePhysical area administered by a sheriff; Former...
2Middle EnglishschireAlternative form of shire; Alternative form of...
3Old Englishsċīrbright; shire; county
4Old Englishburnastream
5Proto-West Germanicbrunnōwell, spring
6Proto-Germanicbrunnôsource; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₁wr̥well, spring, source
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

via English Dumfries

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishDumfriesand the former county town of Dumfriesshire OS grid ref NX9776
2Scottish GaelicDùn Phris
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₁wr̥
Dumfriesshire — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer