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.

Spennithorne

Major Settlement in the Parish of Spennithorne

Historical Forms

  • Speningetorp 1086 DB
  • Spinithorn c.1150 Godr
  • Spennigthorn 1289 Ebor
  • Speningthorn(e), Spenyngthorn(e) 1184 RichReg 1457 RichWills
  • Spenigthorne 1301 LS
  • Spenythorn(e) 1285 KI 16 FF 1347 Pap 1396 RichReg 1410
  • Spennithorne 1614 Pickhill

Etymology

v. þorn . This name offers great difficulty. It clearly contains the same first element as Spennymoor (PN NbDu 186), earlier Spennyngmore , and both are probably to be connected with the word which lies behind Spen (ib.), 1312 le Spen , but the significance of this word is very doubtful. The name as a whole is probably an inga -formation (v. ing ).

Places in the same Parish

Major Settlement