-hou is a suffix (part added to the end of a word) found in many Channel Islands and Norman names. It is the Norman language version of the Old Norse holmr, meaning a small island, and often found anglicised elsewhere as "holm". It can still be found in modern Scandinavian languages, e.g. Stockholm.

This is a map of the Bailiwick of Guernsey

The Norman hommet/houmet also comes from this suffix.

In Parisian French, the equivalent is îlot, which is the same as the English "islet".

Bailiwick of Guernsey change

Bailiwick of Jersey change

 
Aerial view of Les Écréhous
  • Les Écréhous
  • Le Plat Hommeit
  • Le Hommet du Ouaisné
  • Les Hommets
  • La Rocco (from rocque-hou)
  • Icho (from ic-hou)

Normandy change

References change

  • Lepelley, Rene (1999). Noms de lieux de Normandie et des iles anglo-normandes. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-2-86253-247-9.
  • Jersiaise, Societe (1986). Jersey Place Names: A Corpus of Jersey Toponymy. ISBN 978-0-901897-17-6.