Bellingham

/ˈbɛlɪŋhæm/ noun

Definition

A city in Washington state near the Canadian border, or a surname of English origin. Known for its location between Seattle and Vancouver.

Etymology

From Old English 'Beorninges hām', meaning 'homestead of Beorning's people'. The American city was named after Bellingham Bay, which was named after Sir William Bellingham by British explorer George Vancouver.

Kelly Says

Bellingham represents the layers of colonial naming - a British explorer naming a bay after an English aristocrat, which then names an American city, creating a linguistic archaeology where each generation of colonizers overwrites previous inhabitants' place names.

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