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.

Three Houses

Early-attested site in the Parish of Knebworth

Historical Forms

  • Trehus 1303 FA
  • Threhous 1346 ib
  • le Threhous 1440 FF
  • Threhowsses 1536 MinAcct
  • ate Trehouses 1294 SR
  • ate Trehus 1296 ib

Etymology

Three Houses is Trehus 1303 FA, Threhous 1346 ib., le Threhous 1440FF , Threhowsses 1536MinAcct , and was the home of Thomas ate Trehouses (1294SR ) and Thomas ate Trehus (1296 ib.). This name is self-explanatory and must have referred to a small settlement of three homesteads. Cf. Onehouse (PN Sf 124).