A place name referring to a settlement near a bridge over water, or specifically various towns and cities with this name.
Compound of Middle English 'bridge' (from Old English brycg) and 'water' (from Old English wæter). This descriptive place name pattern was common in English-speaking settlements, literally meaning 'bridge over water.'
Bridgewater-type names are so common because bridges were crucial landmarks in medieval times, often being the only safe crossing points for miles. The most famous Bridgewater is probably the English town that gave its name to the Duke of Bridgewater, who built England's first major canal system in the 1760s.
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