Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cuzeuuorde, Scusceuurde 1086 DB

• Cusseword 1194–9 YChviii 1197 Ebor 1301

• Cusseworth(e)' 1251 Ch 1379 PT 1401 Calv 1404 MinAcct 1466 YDxii,241

• Cusceworth, Cuscew(u)rth(e), Cusceword c.1200 BWr 13 Brett 1246 Ass16 1297 LS 1303 Pat

• Cucewordh' 1208 Pat

• Cucewrth 1240 FF

• Cuzcewurth 1237 FF

• Custewrth' 1243 Fees

• Custeword 1312 BWr

• Cukesworth 1280 Ass

• Cutesworth 1303 Pat

• Guseworth 1288 Baild

• Cusworth 1487 Ipm 1531 NCWills 1658 WillS

Etymology

The ME  spellings -z -, -sc -, -zc -, represent an actual -ts - (from earlier -ts -, -ds - or -ðs -, cf. EPN ii, 92, -s). Goodall 112 is therefore right in taking the first el. to be an OE  pers.n. Cūðsa , which, as Ekwall remarks (DEPN s.n.), is a shortened form of OE  Cūðsige or a derivative of Cūða with an s - suffix (on this formation cf. IPN 171–2).'Cūðsa's enclosure', v. worð .