Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cucuwalt 1086 DB

• Cucvalt 1086 ib

• Cucuwald c.1115 LS 1163 RAi lHy2 Dane

• Cucuvald' 1196–98 RAv

• Cucuwaud' 1202 Ass

• Cukewald(') 1146 RAi 1159–81 NCot e13 RBE 1166 NCot lHy2 Dane e13 Dugdvi lHy2 RAiv 1190 CartAnt 1301 Fees l12 Cur 1200 Welles 1212 Cl 1214 Fees c.1221 Ipm 1235 Misc 1238–41 NCot 1262 1265 1281

• Cukewaud(') 1186–1200 Dane 1218,1219 FF 1242–43 Fees

• Kukewalda lHy2 Gilb 1409

• Kukewaud 1249–50 RRG

• Kukewold(') 1287,1288 RSu 1295 Ch

• Cuchewald c.1150,eHy2,1159–81(e13) NCot Hy2,lHy2(1409) Gilb 1181–85 NCot e13 Dane lHy2 NCot l12 Dane e13 NCot lHy2 l12 e13

• Cucheuuald 1153–54 e13 ib

• Chuckewald 1177 P

• Chukuald Hy2 LN

• Cukwaud 1219 Ass

• Kucwald' c.1300 RAiii

• Cukwald 1401–02 FA

• Cukwolde 1536–37 Dugdvi

• Cokewald(') 1242–43 Fees 1254 ValNor lHy3 NCot 1275,1276 RH 1281 QW 1288 Ipm 1305 Pat 1316 FA 1332 SR 1431 FA

• Cokewalde 1276 Cl 1276 Ipm 1327 SR 1428 FA

• Cokewaud 1242–43 Fees

• Kokewald(') 1244 1303 FA

• Cokewold 1291 Tax 1304,1340 Ipm 1341 Extent 1346 FA 1347,1375 Cl 1387 Ipm a1567 LNQv

• Cokkewalde 1398 Cl

• Cocouold (sic) 1350 Fine 1350 Ipm 1356 Fine

• Cokwald 1428 FA

• Cokwold alias Cokeswolde alias Cokwawde 1544 LPxix

• Cokeswold 1519 DV 1526 Sub 1535 VEiv 1610 Speed

• Cokeswolde 1577–80 Terrier

• Kokeswold 1545 LPxx 1554 PrState

• Cokeswowld 1576 Saxton

• Coxwold 1552 Pat 1558 InstBen 1576 LER 1627 Hungate

• Coxwoulde 1601 Terrier

• Coxwould 1612,1625,1679,1686 Terrier

• Cuxwold 1706,1718,1788 Terrier

Etymology

'Cuca's high woodland', from the OE  pers.n. Cuca and wald. Dr Insley points out that OE  *Cuca is a short form of names in Cwic -, v. DEPN, s.n. Cuxham, and note also on cuceles hylle (in the bounds of Portisham Do) 1024 (contemp.) S 961, containing OE  *Cucel , *Cucol , a diminutive of OE  *Cuca formed with the -l - suffix. ME  cokkōu , cuk (k )ou , cuk (k )u etc. 'the European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus )' can be ruled out here, since it is only attested later (in surnames from 1191 and in independent use from 1300, v. MED s.v.). In any case, the normal word for the cuckoo in Lincolnshire would have been the Scandinavian loan-word gouk < ON  gaukr . OE  cucu , a side-form of OE  cwicu 'live, living' (in place-names probably with the sense 'having taken root, growing', v. EPN, s.v. cwicu ), can be excluded, since it is a specifically West Saxon form.

The original meaning of wald is 'forest', and no doubt the sense here is something like 'an area of woodland on higher ground', as suggested by Smith, PN Gl 4, 8 n.4. The development to 'open high ground', as in the Lincolnshire Wolds, is later and cannot be reckoned with in early place-names. Forms in -waud (') show vocalization of -l - as a result of French influence (v. Jordan paragraph 252 Anm.). Early spellings with initial Ch - also reflect French influence. It is noteworthy that forms in -es - (whence the modern spelling) do not appear before the early 16th century.

Cuxwold is situated in a distinct saucer, surrounded by higher open land with patches of woodland and fed by a stream.