Etymology

Norfolk

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Today it means: A Norfolk jacket. Full definition →

Middle English Northfolk ← Old English Norþfolc
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The story

  1. Old English · derived fromNorþfolc
  2. Middle English · inherited fromNorthfolk
  3. English todayNorfolk

From Middle English Northfolk, from Old English Norþfolc (literally “northern people”), from norþ (“north, northern”) + folc (“folk, people, race, nation”), equivalent to north + folk. As an Ecuadorian island, clipping of Duke of Norfolk's Island, bestowed by William Ambrosia Cowley in 1684 honor of Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk; his son Henry, the 7th duke; or both. As an Australian island and territory, bestowed by James Cook in 1774 in honor of Mary Howard, wife of the 9th duke.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.