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.

Efford

Early-attested site in the Parish of Egg Buckland

Historical Forms

  • Eppeford 1186 P 1242 Fees789
  • Efford 1284 FA
  • Ebford 1306 Ass

Etymology

The parallels of Efford infra 251, 266, 278, Efford in Stratton (Co), Ebbeford 1183 P, 1202, 1256 FF, on the estuary of the Bude river, Efford in Milton (Ha), 1242 Fees Ebbeford , on Avon Water, a tidal creek, make it probable that this name is to be interpreted as 'ford passable at ebb-tide,' referring to a passage over the Plym estuary.