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Cotton, in fact, representsHlothran a fairly common village-name in the Shire, derived fromhloth- 'a two-roomed dwelling or hole', andran (u) a small group of such dwellings on a hillside. As a surname it may be an alteration ofhlothram (a) ' cottager'.Hlothram , which I have rendered Cotman, was the name of Farmer Cotton's grandfather.
Brandywine. The hobbit-names of this river were alterations of the ElvishBaranduin (accented onand ), derived frombaran 'golden brown' andduin '(large) river'. OfBaranduin Brandywine seemed a natural corruption in modern times. Actually the older hobbit-name wasBranda-nin 'border-water', which would have been more closely rendered by Marchbourn; but by a jest that had become habitual, referring again to its colour, at this time the river was usually calledBralda-him 'heady ale'. It must be observed, however, that when the Oldbucks (Zaragamba) changed their name to Brandybuck (Brandagamba), the first element meant 'borderland', and Marchbuck would have been nearer. Only a very bold hobbit would have ventured to call the Master of BucklandBraldagamba in his hearing.