Wemyss

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of coastal villages in Fife, Scotland, known for its castle and pottery ; a Scottish surname borne by a noble family of that region
2. A place of coastal villages and an old castle in the Scottish county of Fife ; a family name originating in Scotland and carried by a historic noble house
3. The name of a seaside district in Fife, Scotland, with a historic castle ; a surname of Scottish origin associated with an aristocratic family

Etymology: Wemyss is a Scottish place name, and its story is one of landscape rather than language change. It comes from Scottish Gaelic "uaimh", meaning "cave", with the suffix "-es", meaning "place of". The name therefore describes somewhere defined by caves, and the most famous of these lie along the coast of Fife, where Wemyss Caves are carved into the sandstone cliffs. The name has since become a surname and a family title. The Wemyss family, whose seat was Wemyss Castle near the coast, took the name from the place, so the territory came first and the people who held it were named after it. The surname spread from there, and it is now most often seen on the title "Earl of Wemyss".