Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Werne 1086 DB(f.84)

• Iwernelazerton 1346 FF

• Lacerton Hy3 Ipm

• Lacerton or Lazerton 1795 Boswell

• Laterton(') 1280 QW, Ass

• Lathirton' 1235–6 Fees

• Latherton' 1242–3 ib

• Lasceton' 1244 Ass

• Lasteton 1256 FF

• Lazereton c.1270 Seymer

• Lazerton(e) 1280 Ass 1288 1316,1428 FA

• Lasarton(e) 1326 Ipm 1327 Cl

• Laserton 1341 ib

• Lacheston' 1280 Ass

• Lacherston' 1288 ib

• Laston' 1327 SR 1332 SR

• Las'ton 1340 NI

Etymology

This farm stands on R. Iwerne, v. Iwerne Minster par. and RNs. infra ; for the DB identification, v. Eyton 137–8, VCHDo 3111, DBGazetteer 122. The final el. of Lazerton is clearly tūn 'farm, estate', but the first part of the name is difficult. If the spellings in -t -, -th -, -st - may be taken to be errors of transcription for -c -, -ch -, -sc -, and if those in -c -, -sc -, -z -, -s - may be seen to be due to Fr influence (cf. Zachrisson ANInfl 21ff, IPN 102), then the first el. could be, as Professor Löfvenberg suggests, an OE  (WSax ) *lǣcere 'a leech gatherer or leech dealer', with early shortening of the vowel in the compound. There was a mill at Lazerton in 1086 DB (VCHDo 3111), and there was formerly also a church here, v. Chapel Md infra .