Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Axnolre 1285 FA

• Estaxenabre (sic, for Estaxenalre) 1339 FF

• Axnaldre 1388 Fine

• Axinaller 1431 FA

• Ax Knolle 1535–43 Leland

• Axknoll or Axnaller 1774 Hutch1

• Axnoller (Fm) 1795 Boswell 1811 OS

• Axknoll or Axknoller 1863 Hutch3

Etymology

Axnoller Fm, East Axnoller Fm & West Axnoller Fm (ST 489040), Axnolre 1285 FA, Estaxenabre (sic, for Estaxenalre )1339 FF, Axnaldre 1388 Fine, Axinaller 1431 FA, Ax Knolle 1535–43 Leland, Est Axnollar 1553, Axnolle (r )1571 Hutch3, Axknowller , Axenaller 1632, Axeknaller 1634DCMCt , Axknoll or Axnaller 1774 Hutch1, Axnoller (Fm )1795 Boswell, 1811 OS, Axknoll or Axknoller 1863 Hutch3. 'Alder-tree by the R. Axe', from OE  alor and the river-name in its oblique form Axan . The river, which gives its name to Axminster and Axmouth in Devon as well as to Axe Fm in Broadwindsor par. infra , rises on a hill slope here, hence no doubt the tendency first seen in Leland to treat the second el. as if it is from cnoll 'hill': 'Ax risith…at a place caullid Ax Knolle' (Leland 1243), cf. also Hutch1 1268.