The Name “Britain”

Abstract

THE existence in former times of other Britains than those of our own island should not be overlooked in discussing the derivation of the word. According to Dr. Karl von Spruner's maps of France and Spain for the sixth century, besides the Britannia in the north-west of France, there was a town called Britonia (the present Mondonedo) in the north-west of Spain. Unless the similarity of these names is nothing more than a strange coincidence, it does not seem probable that the name Britannia can have any connection with the tin which is found only in one of the Britannias. Carte (vol. i. p. 10, note), speaking of the Phrygians (Briges) “the first nation that entered Europe,” says, “of this sort are the people known over England, Scotland, and Ireland, by the name of Brigantes; the Britanni on the sea coast of Gallia Belgica; the Brigani mentioned by Pliny as seated in the Alpes . . . . A Brigantium, now Braganza in Portugal; and another (town) of the same name, now Britanças or Corunna, called anciently Portus Brigantinus, in Gallicia.” According to this the Briges would be the common ancestors of the Britons of England, France, and Spain, and the similarity of the names in these countries could be accounted for.