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.

West Scrafton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Coverham

Historical Forms

  • Scraftun, Skraftun, Skrafton 1086 DB
  • West Skrafton 1285 KI
  • Scalftun 1086 DB

Etymology

The first element of this name and East Scrafton 253supra is OE  scræf 'a cave, a hollow place in the earth, a miserable dwelling,' with Scandinavianising of the initial consonant.v. Shrawley (PN Wo 78). There is nothing in the local features of Scrafton to suggest a preciser meaning than 'a depression or hollow in the earth.' v. tun .