Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Euenewit 1150–62 YCh

• Euenwith c.1270 Lowth

• -wyt, -wys 1285 ib

• Yauenwith(e), Yavenwith(e), -wyth c.1200 Lowth 1242 FF 1315 Ipm 1324 et freq

• -whit 1373 Ipm 1374 Fine

• Yauenewit(h), Yavenewit(h), -wyth 1246 Lowth 1265 Cl 1279 Ass11

• Yafnewit 1247,a.1290 Lowth

• Iafnewit 1277 Macheli,6

• Yanenwyth (sic for Yau-) 1307,1363 Ipm

• Yauventwith 1246 Knipe

• Yhavenwith 1280 Lowth

• Yawenwyth, Iawenwyth 13 Wyb 1246–9 Lowth

• Yawnewyth 1279 Ass16d

• Yawenwith 1337 SR

• Yanewhyt 1279 Ass26

• Yanewith, Yanewyth 1312 Fine 1323 Cl 1392 Rydal 1634 NB

• Yenwyth, Yenwithe Hy6 Rent 1552 Visit 1590 FF

• Yanwith, Yanwyth(e) 1370 Hom 1425 Lanc 1489 Ipm 1765 PR(Brm)

• Yanwhit 1376 Ipm

• Yanweth(e) 1546 Rent 1708 PR(Brt)

• Yanwath 1670 PR(Brt) 1865 OS

• Yeanwith 1668,1705 PR(Brt)

• Yeanwath 1676,1700 ib

• Yeanoth 1686,1688 ib

• Yeanieth 1689 ib

Etymology

'Even, level wood', v. jafn , viðr . The earlier forms with Euen (e )- suggest that the first el. may be a Scandinavianised form of OE  efn (in Efna-wudu ), as Ekwall has suggested. Cf. Phonol. §24.