Llan (placename Element)

Llan (placename Element)

Llan or Lan is a common place name element in Brythonic languages such as Welsh, Cornish, Breton, Cumbric, and possibly Pictish. In Wales there are over 630 place names beginning with 'Llan', pronounced . In Cornwall and Brittany the element is usually spelled 'Lan' or 'Lann', occasionally 'Laun'.

The original meaning of llan in Welsh is "an enclosed piece of land", but it later evolved to mean the parish surrounding a church. Most places beginning with Llan have some connection to a saint, usually of the Celtic church. The element following 'Llan' is usually the name of the saint, for example Llandewi 'Enclosure or Church of Saint David'. The English word lawn is cognate to llan, being derived from the common Old Celtic root landa through the Old French launde meaning 'heath', 'barren land', or 'clearing'.

However a number of place names beginning with Llan evolved from other Welsh words like 'Glan' ('river bank') or 'Nant' ('stream' or 'small valley'), for example Llanbradach (from Nant Bradach, 'valley of the River Bradach'). In Cornish as well, some place names beginning with 'Lan' derive from Cornish 'Nans' ('valley'), such as Lanteglos from Nanseglos ('valley of the church').