Township: (Rubha) Craignis,Hough

Map Reference: Craignish 16

Name Type: shore

Meaning: ON urð (genitive urðar) ‘a heap of stones on the sea beach’ (CV, 657), with ON vík ‘bay’
The Turnbull source form shows the Norse name as a loan-name with the Gaelic definite article. There is a Loch Urbhaig on Coll (1881 OS 6 inch first edition) suggesting that Urðarvík may have been the Scandinavian name for Loch Eatharna on Coll. Urðarvík may also have been the Norse name for ScG An Acarsaid ‘the anchorage’, the main harbour at Milton, Tiree, becoming the Scandinavian name for the ounceland later known as An Caolas. The Norse name may then have transferred to the north-east corner of the township. There is an Urra Taing in Lunasting Shetland (SP); Urdvika is a common place-name in Norway (NG); Urðarbak is a farm name in Iceland (SAM); and Ørðavík is a settlement in the Faroe Islands.

Other Forms: Urbhaig - Sandy MacKinnon (Sandaidh Ghobhainn), Kilkenneth, 11/1993
ONB p. 10 gives An Urabhag.

Related Places: See Urvaig, Caolas.

Information:

Local Form:

Languages : Obscure

Informants: OS

Informant 2: Sandy MacKinnon (Sandaidh Ghobhainn), Kilkenneth, 11/1993