South Tyneside being found on the south side of the North East’s River Tyne is an obvious naming convention, but less is known about why the towns which make up the region are named the way they are.
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Come with us as we take a look through history at why each town is named the way it is across the area we call home.

1. South Tyneside border sign.
What's in a name? How every South Tyneside town was named including South Shields, Jarrow, Boldon and more Photo: Stu Norton

2. Boldon
Boldon Colliery and its geographical namesakes are thought to have a fairly unassuming name. The term is likely to have come from the word bold, meaning a building, and dun, meaning a type of hill fort. Photo: Google

3. Cleadon
Cleadon was first noted by the name Clyuedon in the 1100s. It is expected to mean hill (dun) of the cliffs (clifta) in old Anglo Saxon. Photo: Stu Norton

4. Hebburn
It is thought the name Hebburn comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for high tumulus. A tumulus is a large mound of earth or burrow often used for burials. It is not known where this was within the area of the town which now stands in South Tyneside. Photo: Google