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.

East Witton

Major Settlement in the Parish of East Witton

Historical Forms

  • Witun(e), Witone 1086 DB
  • Estwitone 1204 ClR 1396 Pap
  • Wittun, Witton c.1150 Dugdv.572 1201 FF 1268 Abbr 1298 YI
  • E(a)stwitton 1156 Dugdv.573
  • Est Wotton 1316 FA

Etymology

'Farm in the wood' v. tun . The spelling Widtun (West Witton 255infra ) shows that Witton is derived from PrOE  widu (later OE  wudu = ON  viðr ), and that -dt - was assimilated to -tt -. This PrOE  form widu is found in some early p.n. forms such as Widutuun 723 BCS 157 (Wootton Wawen, Wa), though it is usually later replaced by wudu .

Places in the same Parish