English / Map Form: Kingsburgh
Gaelic Form: Cinnseaborgh
Location: Skye, Inner Hebrides
Post Town: PORTREE
County: Inverness-shire
Local Authority: Highland
Nearest Main Roads: A87
English / Map Form: Kingsburgh
Gaelic Form: Cinnseaborgh
Language Notes
Possibly ON kinnungs-borg: ON gen. sg. of kinnungr, masc. ‘bow (of a ship)’ + ON nom. sg. borg, fem. ‘fort’ = ‘fort of the bow’.Element Meaning
possibly ON kinnungr ~ bow (of a ship); ON borg ~ fort
Sources
| Keysbourg, Kysburg | 1644 Pont text 141r |
| Kysburg 1654 | 1654 Blaeu map (Skye) |
| Kings-borough | 1776 Mackenzie: North part |
| Kingsborough | 1804 Heather |
| Kingsburgh | 1820 Thomson |
| Cinnse-burg | Dwelly 1912 |
| C(h)innseaborg | Mackenzie, 96 |
| Cinnseburg, Cinsburg toll town (cis tax) | Forbes, 228 |
| Cinnsiburag | Robertson |
| [‘kʲʰiʃ:əˌbʌrə] | local source, Sgianaidean |
| [‘kʲʰiʃ:əˌbʌrə] | local source, Sòdhaigh |
| Cinnseaborgh [‘kʲʰĩ:ʃəˌbɔr̀ɔɣ] | Cox, local source |
Additional Information
Forbes believed that ‘King’ was a later interpretation, and the Pont forms support this. We are grateful to Dr. Richard Cox for the suggestion of ON kinnungr.