English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Matlock

Major Settlement in the Parish of Matlock

Historical Forms

  • Meslach 1086 DB
  • Matlac, Matlak 1196,1204 Cur 1239 Lib 1254 Misc 1330 QW
  • Matloc, Matlok(e) 1204 P 1204 Cur e.13th Darley 1247 Woll 1251 Ch
  • Matlok(e) in Pecco 1279 CartDec 1597 WollCh
  • Maitlok 1540 ib
  • Maitlock(e) 1323 Inqaqd 1348 DbAxxxvi 1533 WollCh
  • Mathlac, Mathlak 1233 DbCh 1254 Cl
  • Metlok 1291 Tax
  • Mattelok 1305 Ipm 1330 Ass 1535–43 L
  • Mattelock(e) 1327 Orig 1533 WollCh
  • Matelok 1374 Cl

Etymology

Probably 'oak where the moot was held', v. mæðel , āc . This leaves the DB spelling, Meslach , unexplained. The difficulty is in -s -, since e from OE æ and final -ch for -c present no real problem. The most reasonable explanation would seem to be that it is AN sound- substitution of one spirant for another.