Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Pathorme, Pathorp 1086 DB

• Paththorn l.12 Puds

• Pathorn(e) 1196 P l.12 Sawl5 1208 Cur 1226 Ebor 1229–34 YChvii 1257 Sawl26d 1590 WillY

• Paythorne 1558,1621 FF 1641 Rates

• Paiethorne 1571 PRGis 1630 PRGis

Etymology

Despite the single Paththorn spelling, the later forms show that the first el. is pā (cf. Phonol. § 11) and cannot be derived from OE  pæð 'path' as Moorman proposed. It could be the ON  byname Pái 'the Peacock' (Ritter 146) or an ON  pá 'peacock' (as in pá -fugl ) used with þorn to describe a thornbush shaped like a peacock; the former seems more probable, as þorn is very often combined with pers.ns.The names of Paa (a farm) and Paa Hill (infra ) may have to be taken into account, though they are possibly adaptations from the township name.