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.

Corpusty

Major Settlement in the Parish of Corpusty

Historical Forms

  • Corpestih, Corpsty, Corpestig 1086 DB
  • Corpesti 1196to1325 FF 1200–20 LothianMSS 1209 P 1269 Ass 1333 SR 1334 Binh
  • Corpestye 1225 FF
  • Corpesty 1240 1253 Cl 1269,1286 Ass 1302 FA 1314–5 NfD 1368 NoRec 1402,1403 FF
  • Corpsti 1254–75 Val 1322 NoD 1334 Binh
  • Corpsty 1254 NfA 1302to1428 FA 1378–9 NoRec 1382,1467 FF 1397 Pat 1400 Fine
  • Corpesey 1258 FF
  • Corpisty 1316 FA 1384 FF
  • Corpusti 1333 SR
  • Corpusty 1535 VE
  • Corpustye 1540 AD
  • Corpustie 1553 Pat

Etymology

The first element is no doubt the Scandinavian word korpr 'raven', attested as a byname, OWScand  Korpr , OSwed  Korp , commonly used both in East and West Scandinavian, in OSwed  also known in a weak form Korpe (v. Insley 280). OScand  stígr 'path, road' is likely to be the second element, although it cannot formally be distinguished from the synonymous OE  stīg.