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.

Oxlinch

Early-attested site in the Parish of Standish

Historical Forms

  • Hoxling(e), Hoxlyng(e) 1248 Ass 1316 FA 1324 Glouc 1327 SR 1328 Banco 1561 FF
  • Over Hoxlyng(e) 1574 ib
  • Hoxlyng(e) als. Oxlinge 1613 ib
  • Oxlinch(e), Oxlynch(e) 1268 Glouc 1526 FF 1542 MinAcct 1585 FF
  • Oxelynch, Oxelinche 1287 Ass 1611 FF
  • Overhoplynche (sic for Overhoxlynche) 1471 StPGl
  • Hoglinge 1316 FA
  • Oxlenge 1474 Pat

Etymology

The earlier Ox (e )linch spellings as well as most of the later ones suggest the obvious interpretation 'ox ridge', v. oxa , hlinc ; but in a great many of the spellings it must be assumed that the initial H - is inorganic; OE  hlinc does sometimes appear as later -ling (e ), for which Ekwall, PN -ing 229 ff, gives many unquestionable parallels.