Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Rutter 1539 DRH 1540 TRMB 1800 PR(Clb)

• High Rutter, Low Rutter 1704 Terr 1859 OS

• the, le Rutter 1588 Rent 1607 Hothf 1620 Wyb

Etymology

Low Rutter, Rutter Force, Rutter 1539DRH , 1540TRMB et freq to 1800 PR(Clb), (High Rutter , Low Rutter ) 1704 Terr, 1859OS , the , le Rutter 1588Rent , 1607Hothf , 1620Wyb , cf. Rutterbeck 1453 NB 328, 1684BdyR , Rutterbridge 1684 ib, Rutter mil (l )ne 1579Rent , 1714Hothf , Rutterwood 1684BdyR , Rutter Force 1859OS , now represented by a farm, a ford and a waterfall (v. fors ) on Hoff Beck. The name is obscure, but could be ON  rótar -tré 'tree torn up by the root', but, as Professor Löfvenberg suggests, Rutter could be from an OE  *hrūtere 'the roarer' and denote the waterfall here, cf. OE  hrūtende 'roaring' in Rowten Beck i, 13supra , etc.