 Jennings and Kruse conclude that although there were settlements prior to the Norse arrival ""there is no evidence from the onomasticon that the inhabitants of these settlements ever existed"".Gaelic continued to exist as a spoken language in the southern Hebrides throughout the Norse period, but the place name evidence suggests it had a lowly status, possibly indicating an enslaved population.Consolidating their gains, the Norse settlers established the Kingdom of the Isles, which became part of the crown of Norway following Norwegian unification.