Many place names in the UK have similar prefixes or suffixes, such as -ham, Aber- or -borough, and knowing what these mean can give us clues about the history of the place itself.

for example:

The suffixes -borough and -bury come from an old English word for a fortified town or castle.

Peterborough

Canterbury

Sometimes the spelling is slightly different, as in Edinburgh or Middlesbrough.

This worksheet investigates the origins of many different place names. You may find an atlas useful if you have one.