Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Golse 1086 DB 1175 P 1182,1183,1184,1185,1190 1191,1192 ib

• Golsa 1086 DB c.1115 LS c.1141 BMFacs 1142–51 Dane 1143–47,a1150 1164 P 1165 ChancR 1166,1167,1171,1172 1178 ib

• Gausa 1148–52 LAASvi c.1150 Dane

• Gousa 1143–7 ib

• Goussa c.1155 ib

• Gouse 1203 P

• Gosla 1135–39 YChii e14 Dane c.1145 YChii 1155–57 P 1193,1194

• Gosle 1199 FF 1267 Pat 1312 Brid e14 Pat 1312

• Gosel 1194 CurP

• Goxa 1147–68 YChiii

• Gossa 1165 P

• Gousle 1135–40 YChii e14 Bridl 1194 Dane e14 YChiii Hy2 HarlCh 1200–12 P e14 Cur e13 P 1204 Cur 1205 Bridl 1209,1210,1211 1212,1213,1214 1311 e14

• Gousle alias dict' Goxhill 1549 LindDep

• Gouslee 1214 Cur

• Goussle a1147 Dane

• Gousla 1143–47 Dane 1149–50 YChiii e15 1152 1179–89 e14 Pap 1182 1304

• Gousel 1127–35,1189–1217(e14) YChiii a1202 RAviii 1210–12 RBE 1238–43 Fees 1254 ValNor 1314 YearBk

• Gousell 1286 Ipm 1376 Orig 1376 Pat 1471 Fine

• Goussell 1475 Pat

• Gousele 1163 RAi 1185–87 Dane 1212 Fees 1213 Cur 1230 P

• Gousel' 1185 RotDom 1210–11,1256 FF 1265 RRGr

• Goussell' 1281 QW

• Gausle c.1150 Guis e14 YChii 1150–60

• Gausla 1154–68 YChiii e14 Dane c.1155,1157–63,c.1160 1160–66 HarlCh e13 NCot 1260

• Gausel Hy2 Dane

• Gausal (sic) c.1160 ib

• Gausele 1145–60 YChiii 1150–60 Dane

• Gousil 1242–3 Fees 1268 Ch

• Gousil in Lyndeseye 1303 Pat 1314 YearBk 1316 FA 1329 Inqaqd

• Gousill 1353,1363 Ipm 1392 Pat 1428 FA

• Gousyl (in Lindesay) 1301 Pap 1303 FA

• Gausill 1398 Cl

• Gowsill “or” Gouxill 1349 Ipm

• Gowsill otherwise Gowxill 1681 Yarb

• Gowsyll 1422 Cl 1557 Pat

• Gowshill otherwise Gowxhill 1720 Yarb

• Gowesell 1465 Pat

• Gowsell 1545 LPxx

• Goushill 1263 FF 1291,1294 Ipm 1312,1314 Cl 1314 Ipm 1440 Pat

• goushill 1601 Terrier

• Goushille 1314 YearBk 1386 Cl

• Goushyll 1340 Ipm

• Goushill(e) 1399 Pat 1399 Cl

• Goweshill in Lyndeseye 1401 Pat

• Gousehill 1358 Pat

• Goushull 1287 Ipm 1292,1294 Pat 1295 Cl 1312 Inqaqd 1428 FA

• Goushulle 1313–14 Inqaqd

• Gousul 1242–3 Fees

• Goushill (“on” Humbre) 1331 Ch 1338 Ipm 1341 Pat 1346 FA 1347 Cor 1378 Pat 1566 et passim

• Gowxhyll 1539 LPxiv

• Gouxhyll 1549 Pat

• Gouxull' 1332 SR

• Gouxhull(') 1332 1346 Pat 1346 FA 1541 LPxvi 1549 Pat

• Gouxshull m16 Cragg

• Gouxill 1462 Pat 1528 Willsii

• Gouxill alias Gouxhill 1564 LindDep 1566 BT 1576 LER

• Gouxill alias Goxhill 1604 LindDep

• Gouxyll 1519 DV

• Goxhill 1462,1550 Pat 1576 Saxton 1577 BT

• Goxhill alias Gowsell 1582 ADv 1610 Speed

• Goxhyll 1547 Pat

• Goxhull 1535 VEiv 1653 WillsPCC

• Gowksell alias Gouxhill 1562 BPD

Etymology

The full list of forms presented here shows that Goxhill is identical in origin with Goxhill (PN YE 66–7), where numerous alternative derivations are considered. This is a very difficult name, and the most satisfactory explanation seems to be that it was originally OE  *Gēaceslēah 'the cuckoo's wood or glade', from OE  gēac 'a cuckoo' and lēah 'a wood, glade', though the first el. might alternatively be the unrecorded OE  pers.n. *Gēac , cognate with ON  Gaukr , and adduced by Ekwall (DEPN s.n.) for Yaxham Nf. It has also been suggested that the second el. might be OE  hyll 'a hill' in an early weakened form, though this does seem somewhat less likely. There are, of course, many spellings in -hill etc. from the 13th century onwards, so that at least later the second el. was associated with hyll The numerous forms in -ou - and -au - indicate that the first el. was similarly associated with or replaced by ON  gaukr 'a cuckoo' or the derived pers.n. Gaukr , well-evidenced in L in the 12th and 13th centuries (SPNLY 96–7). The spellings with final -a are simply Latinisations. Without OE forms, however, no certainty is possible, and only what appears to be the most satisfactory explanation can be offered.