Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Tottney heads 1662 Terrier

• Totney heads 1668 ib

• totney dike 1697 ib

• Totney dike 1709 ib

• Totney Dike 1712,1724,1822 ib

• Totney-Dike 1745 ib

• Totney Close 1648 Foster 1683 BPD 1775 EnclA

• Totney 1775 ib

Etymology

, Tottney heads 1662Terrier ,Totney heads 1668ib (v. hēafod), totney dike 1697ib , Totney dike 1709ib , Totney Dike 1712, 1724, 1822ib , Totney -Dike 1745ib (all Terrier references are from Thornton Curtis terriers) (v. dīc, dík), Totney Close 1648Foster , 1683BPD , 1775EnclA , Totney 1775 ib ; though the name is not recorded before the mid 17th century , it is likely that it is old , in which case it probably means ' Totta 's island of land , piece of dry ground in a fen or marsh ' , from the OE  pers.n.Totta , found also in Tottenham PN Mx 78 , and ēg ' an island ' , but also used in p. ns . of a piece of dry , higher land in a fen , a sense topographically appropriate here .