Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• be Tefunte 860 BCS500 c.1400

• Tefonte 1086 DB

• Tefunte 1241 FF

• Teofuntinga gemære 940 BCS757

• (at) Teofunten c.965 BCS1138 13th

• Theofunta, Teophonte t.Hy2 Shaston

• Tifhunt 1236 FF

• Tyfunte 1268 Ass

• Tefhunte 1293 Pat

• Hewyas Tefunte 1242 Fees

• Teffunt Ewyas 1275 RH

• Teffonteeweyas 1284 FF

• Teffunte Euwyas 1302 Ass

• Teffont Evyas 1304 Pat

• Teffunte Eweas 1378 Cl

• Tevaunte Evyas 1553 Hoare

• Over Tefunte 1268 Ass

• Overtevente 1553 WMx

• Upperteffont 1584 Recov

• Teffount Hungerford 1418 MinAcct

• Tevent(e) 1428 FA 1547 SR

• Teffen 1671 Recov

Etymology

'Boundary spring or stream,' v. funta . The first element is identical with that of Tyburn (Mx), derived by Ekwall (RN) from an OE  *tēo , corresponding to OFris  tiā , 'boundary, boundary line.' Teffont is on the borders of two hundreds, but the name must go back to an earlier date than the formation of the OE hundreds. Teffont Evias belonged to the barons of Ewyas Harold (He). Cf. “Robert tenet de honore de Hewyas ” (1242 Fees). Over or Upper Teffont (now Magna) lies above Teffont Evias. In 1428 (FA) Walter Hungerford held immediately of the castle of Ewyas . The form Evias is a late corruption.Teofuntinga gemære , i.e. 'boundary of the people of Teffont,' is found in a Wylye charter and has reference to the boundary between Teffont and Wylye.