Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Colpethwait 1220–1250 Cockers

• Colpthwait 1230–46 ib

• Colpouth' 1251 Cockers

• Colperetwayt 1260–8 Cockers

• Colperthwayt 1279–81 QW 1292 Cockers

• Colper(t)wayte 1451,1461 CockersRent

• Colparth(w)ayt(e) 1501,1537 Kendii,423

• Cowperthwaite 1537,1566 Kendii,435,iii,162 1586,1637 FF 1650 Rent16

• Cowpertwhat 1566 RichWill

• Co(o)perthwait(e) 1620 PR(K) 1679 CWxviii,217

• Cow Pathwaite 1841 TA

Etymology

Lindkvist 114 has suggested the first el. to be from Ir  colpa 'a full-grown cow or horse', but Professor Jackson notes that this and the derivative colpach 'heifer' did not arise till the 13th century (from older colbtha , -thach ). Medial -er - is difficult to account for except as an ON  gen.sg. inflexion -ar or a substitution (not usually evidenced so early) of -er - for other medial unstressed syllables, v. þveit 'clearing'.