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.

Trashurst

Early-attested site in the Parish of Dorking

Historical Forms

  • Tr(e)ashurst 1749 B 1765 R 1823 G

Etymology

Trashurst is Trasseland 1380, Trasshes 1381, le Trashshis (sic)1385, Trasshes 1448Norfolk , Tr (e )ashurst 1749 B, 1765 R, 1823 G. The modern form of this place-name is due to a common corruption (v. Introd. xxv). It is doubtless to be associated with the word 'trash,' for which the NED gives the sense 'twigs, splinters,' and the EDD 'cuttings from a hedge, small wood or copse.' Probably the name was applied to an area which produced nothing but very light wood, of little use for most purposes.