English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Binfield Hundred

Hundred in the County of Oxfordshire

Historical Forms

  • Benifeld 1176–7etfreqto1205 P
  • Benefeld' 1220 Cl 1316 FA
  • Benflet 1178–9 P
  • Benetfeld' 1187–8 P
  • Benetfeld 1189–90,1201 P
  • Benesfeld 1189–90 P
  • Bunefeud 1278–9 RH
  • Bunefeld 1349 Ipm
  • Beonan feld 963 BCS 1123
  • Hunifeldhundredo 1180 P

Etymology

Three of the Pipe Roll forms point to beonet, 'bent grass,' as the first element. Second element feld . There is a Beonan feld 963 BCS 1123 which could refer to this place, but which can only mean 'Beona 's field.' The name is preserved in that of Binfield Heath (81), presumably the meeting place. Hunifeldhundredo 1180 P is a poor form for this name.