The now wiespread name Lincoln originated in the city Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England. Its name is a contraction of the Latin Lindum Colonia, which was the name of a colony for veteran Roman soldiers. Lindum itself was the Roman version of the Celtic Llyn Dhu, literally "Black Lake or Pool", which is thought to be a reference to shallow pools of the River Witham, now known as the Brayford Pool. When the English counties (called "shires" at that time) were established in around the 11th century, Lincoln became the principal town of Lincolnshire. Various municipalities in the Commonwealth of Nations are named in honor of Lincoln, Lincolnshire.