* Rivet & Smith, p. 388  : 

SOURCE.

- Ravenna 108,29 (= R&C 246) : LEUCA 

- Ravenna 10830 (= R&C 248) : LEUGOSENA

Ravenna's second entry conflates Leuca and Sena; thz latter follows as an independent name in the list at 108,41 (SENUA), so the muddle involves double duplication as well as conflation. However, it is remotely possible that Ravenna's entries might be correct after all, the two above relating to different rivers : one perhaps the upper reaches or a tributary (Leuca), the other a broader or a main stream (Leucosena 'senior partner, old one (of the pair)').

DERIVATION. The base is Celtic *leuco- 'bright, shining, white', documented by Holder II.195, with derivatives in Welsh llug and Irish luach. Cognates include Latin lux, lucere, also lucus 'small wood', Greek Leukos 'light', etc. From Gaulish *leuca and from *leuco- of the Celtic of Spain there was formed in late Latin (St Jérôme : in Ioel III, 18) leuco, which has left Romance descendants : French lieue, Spanish dialectal lleco, lieco 'clearing, clear land, treeless land left uncultivated' (a sense which is important for British Leucomagus); one may compare the English cognate lea. (See Dottin LG 265, J. Hubschmid ELH I. 141.)

In addition to the three following British names and Verlucio, Celtic *leuco- is widespread in Continental toponymy : e.g. Leuciana  AI.438,5 now Santa Cruz del Puerto (Toledo, Spain), Trileukon a promontory in N.W. Spain (Ptolemy II, 6, 4), Leukaristos in Germania Magna (Ptolemy II, I I, 13). Leucus is known as a personal name. The Leuci people of Gallia Belgica had their capital at Tullum Leucorum > Toul (Meurthe-et-Moselle, France). The root is also present in the divine name Leucetios, god of lightning, equated with Mars in e.g. a Bath inscription to Loucetio Marti (RIB 140) ; see Ross (1967)' I74-75. A number of place-names in S. Italy, the Aegean, etc., are formed from Greek Leukos and cognâtes : Leucopetra, Leucadia, Leucae, etc.

The sense of the British river-name is thus 'shining one'.

IDENTIFICATION. The river Loughor, south Wales.

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* A.L.F RIVET & Colin SMITH : The Place-names of Roman Britain. Batsford Ltd. London. 1979-1982.

Liens électroniques des sites Internet traitant de la rivière Loughor / Leuca :  

* forum du site Marikavel : Academia Celtica

hast buan, ma mignonig vas vite, mon petit ami

go fast, my little friend