Fotsey
Early-attested site in the Parish of Aspley Guise
Historical Forms
- Foteseige 969 BCS1229
- Foteseye 1247 Ass
- Fottesey 1247 Ass
- Fodeseye 1292 Ch
Etymology
Probably 'Foot's island.' There is no OE name Fōt on record, but Foston (Lei, Nf, L, Y) and Fosdyke (L) all go back to early forms in Fotes -. The distribution of this last group of names suggests that they contain a pers. name of Scandinavian origin, corresponding to the ON nickname Fótr (v. Lind, Binamn s.n.).This name does not seem very probable in a Beds charter of 969 but it is not wholly impossible, and the Fot of the present name is probably its OE cognate. The second element is eg .