Places in Middle-earth
Sarn Ford
Type: Fords, Bridges, Crossings
Region: Arnor/Eriador/Lindon
Meaning: Stony Ford
Location: A ford on the Brandywine (Baranduin) River, south of Buckland and the Shire.
Description: An offshoot of the Old North Road crosses the river here and goes on to the Shire.
Unfinished Tales, inside cover Map
Given the name, it may be assumed to be full of small stones.
Etymology
sarn '(small) stone' in Sarn Athrad (Sarn Ford on the Brandywine is a half-translation of this); also in Sarn Gebir ('stone-spikes': ceber, plural cebir 'stakes'), rapids in the river Anduin. A derivative is Serni, a river in Gondor.
The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names
Contributors: Lyllyn 6.07.03
added Etymology: Elena Tiriel 28Dec04