> In 1701 Caleb, who had become influential in the government of the
> province, had these lands elevated into a royal manor. He named the
> area Scarsdale after his ancestral home. Since the English name meant
> "dale of scars or rocks," it was appropriate here as it was there.
Lotta bad etymology floating around out there. Toponymns in particular are often just untraceable. The origin from a reflex of Norse 'sker' (crag, outcrop) which seems to be suggested here is phonetically plausible (though the -s would be genitive singular rather than plural) though it doesn't really exemplify any of the more common mechanisms of Old English toponymy, so I'm skeptical.
Where's the original Scarsdale, back in the old country, I wonder? That might tell us something.
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Michael J. Smith mjs at smithbowen.net
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