Dumfries, Scotland

Dumfries Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phris
Dumfries looking east
Dumfries
Dumfries shown within Dumfries and Galloway
Population	40,000 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	NX976762
Council area	Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy area	Dumfries
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DUMFRIES
Postcode district	DG1/2
Dialling code	01387
Police	Scottish
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	• Dumfries and Galloway
Scottish Parliament	• Dumfriesshire • Galloway and West Dumfries
List of places UK Scotland 55°04′12″N 3°36′11″W / 55.070°N 3.603°W / 55.070; -3.603Coordinates: 55°04′12″N 3°36′11″W / 55.070°N 3.603°W / 55.070; -3.603

Dumfries (ⁱ/dʌmˈfriːs/ dum-FREESS; possibly from Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phris) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was a civil parish and became the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South. People from Dumfries are known colloquially as Doonhamers.

There are at least three theories on the etymology of the name. One is that the name Dumfries originates from the Scottish Gaelic name Dún Phris which means "Fort of the Thicket". Another is that it comes from a Brythonic cognate of the alleged Gaelic derivation (c.f. Welsh Din Prys). According to a third theory, the name is a corruption of two Old English or Old Norse words which mean the Friars’ Hill; those who favour this idea allege the formation of a religious house near the head of what is now the Friars’ Vennel.

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