How To Name Your House

Prior to a bill being passed requiring the naming and numbering of streets in Britain in the mid 18th century, the naming of houses was the only means of locational identification. The naming of homes gave character and personality to each area.

This tradition was brought to Australia by the first British settlers, who often named their homes after places they longed for in England.

Today, Australians come from every country in the world and the variety of names is boundless. To start you thinking about a name for your home, we've compiled this list.

You can derive inspiration from anywhere... perhaps even give your home a made up name by taking the first few letters of your own names (eg. Barbara, Robert and Sally, becomes "Barosa" or "Barosa House"). You might like to add a suffix such as : Villa, Lodge, Court, Place, Downes, Hall, Cottage etc. The geographical location of the house and the surrounding vegetation can also suggest possiblities (eg. "Hillcrest", "Seascape", "The Pines" and "The Gums").

Your house may already have a name. You may find this on the title deeds especially if it is old enough to fall under the Old Systems title. Incidentally, this form of Title Deed lists the names and occupations of all the previous owners and this, in itself can be a source of inspiration for naming the house.

Other sources of information are the local Post Office, the local Council, local historical societies and also the State libraries. In Sydney it is possible to find the original names of older houses in the Sand directory in the Mitchell Library.

A good source of Aboriginal names can be found in "Aboriginal Place Names" published by Reed Books P/L.

BRITISH NAMES Cheddingham Kenilworth Abernathy Fallowfield Sherwood Moorefield Newstead Glenoak Victoria Manor Granville Caversham Argyle Grange Creswick GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES Valley View Greenacres The Ridge Park View Sunridge Summit House Eastlakes Highview Redhill Willowbrook Bankhouse The Croft Glenview Greenlane

ABORIGINAL NAMES Willunga Carinya Amaroo Pindari Warrina Bunyarra Wahroongah Bimbimbie Wallami Woongarra Araluen Coraki Currumbin POPULAR PLACE NAMES Sorrento Leumeah Avonlea Berowra Loch Lomond Glenelg Wahroongah Clovelly Annandale Kyogle Vermont Innisfree Kooyong Brunswick Kirribilli Elanora

FLORAL NAMES Jasmine Cottage The Laurels Rosebud Magnolia House Boronia Cottage Waratah Place The Camelias Holly Cottage Banksia House Wisteria Cottage Rosemont Fernbank Lillydale Glenheather NAMES FROM LITERATURE Windermere Rivendell Elsinore Camelot Toad Hall Lothlorien Green Gables Tara Heathcliffe Bleak House Hiawatha Arcadia Mandalay Wakefield

NAUTICAL NAMES Seacrest Sea Whispers Oceania Sandfield Portsea Beaumaris Gull Cottage Hawknest A PLACE OF REST Dunromin Dunrovin Everholme The Haven The Homestead Rest Harrow Mon Repos Blue Haven Thisledome HUMOUROUS NAMES Itldous Gert-by-Sea Bad Manors Raven Haven Angyerat Myleech The Bolt Hole Emoh Ruo