Or how to find that elusive Balla...

There are some 600 'Balla's on the Island - Balla is the most common prefix for a placename and derives from Balley (Irish Baile) 'a homestead'. It would appear that these family units were once synonomous with Treens - in the earliest Manorial rolls they are described as Lands. However with increased population, subdivison and reclamation of waste land these treens were divided into quarterlands and the term Balla tended to refer to these quarterlands. These quarterlands may now contain more than one farm - which may themselves be called 'Balla...' though usually referred to as part of the containing quarterland.

The source generally used in the derivation of the name is J.J.Kneen's The Place Names of the Isle of Man first published in 1925 - this being organised by Parish means that one has to either know the approximate location or suffer a tedious search. Accordingly these pages are organised in alphabetic order - under each name will be found the parish and usually a Grid Reference. This grid reference refers generally to an associated farmhouse or group of buildings but sometimes to the approximate centre of an area.

Note the spelling of Manx names was still somewhat changeable even as late as the 1881 census - Ballacrink/Ballachrink for example. I have generally adopted that suggested by Kneen though sometimes the 1881 census reverts to an earlier form. The 1881 census was chosen mainly for its convenience and it was also towards the end of my period of interest (pre WW1).

The general form is:
[ref] (gridref) type - [ref] is shown as [Kn] if name was not mentioned in 1881 census, [1881c xxx] if 1881 census had a different form than that suggested by Kneen or =xxx if listed under the 1881 form and Kneen had a different spelling. For type see below
Historical refs - M.R. = Manorial Roll Kneen appears to have followed Talbot's reading of the earliest 1511/1515 rolls.- for others see under Abbreviations
Discussion - generally taken from Kneen
Additional information & links to other relevant pages on this website

Index

• Baldoon-Ballabrunt
• Ballacain-Ballachoan
• Ballachrink-Ballacostain
• Ballacotch-Ballacutchel
• Balladaha-Ballafurt
• Ballagale-Ballagyr
• Ballahain-Ballajuanverk
• Ballakaighan-Ballakymmey
• Ballalagley-Ballamore
• Ballanaa-Ballasyr
• Ballateare-Baltrim

Abbreviations and explanations of terms

• AB. F/L = Abbey Farm/Land - at one time belonging to Rushen Abbey
• Dioc Rec = Diocesan Register
• Lib Episc = Liber Episcopi - Account Book of Bishop's Lands 1580..
• Lib Mon = Liber Monasteriorum = Account Book of Rushen Abbey 1579..; covers those lands which belonged to Rushen Abbey prior to the dissolution of the Monestaries after which although they became Lord's lands continued to be recorded separately.
• M.R. = Manorial Roll (Libri Assedationis) (Rent Rolls of Lords of Man - in two 'books' one for the North and the other for the South) the earliest dates from 1507 though that of 1511(Southside) and 1515 (Northside) were for a long time considered the earliest.
• Particle - certain lands whose income was originally (in 1403) intended for the support of students - however in 1429 the second Sir John Stanley appropriated the income.
• Treen - see above
• Wood = Wood's Atlas of 1867

Parishes

Included here as a convenience:

Note in 1796 Onchan was removed from Garff and added to Middle; at the same time Maughold was listed under the North rather than the South Side (where common usage and feeling still puts it 200 years later!)

References

J.J. Kneen The Place-Names of the Isle of Man with their origin and history Douglas: Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh (The Manx Society) 1925 (reprinted 1975)
A.W. Moore The Surnames and Place-names of the Isle of Man London: Elliot Stock 1890
A.W. Moore Manx Names, or The Surnames and Place-Names of the Isle of Man, with a Preface by Professor Rhys. 2nd ed revised London: Elliot Stock 1903
W & C. Radcliffe A History of Kirk Maughold Douglas: Manx Museum and national Trust 1979
T. Talbot The Manorial Roll of the Isle of Man 1511-15. Translated from the Latin by Theophilus Talbot with appendices and indices London: Humphrey Milord 1924
James Woods A New Atlas & Gazeteer of the Isle of Man Ramsey: 1867

Maps:

Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Isle of Man Landranger series #97
1:25,000 Isle of Man Public Rights of Way and Outdoor Leisure Map Douglas: Department of Local Government and the Environment