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.

Sewell

Early-attested site in the Parish of Houghton Regis

Historical Forms

  • Sewelle 1086 DB 1260 FF
  • Seuewell 1193 P 1227 Ass 1228 FF 1286 Dunst
  • Sewell 1247 Ass 1260 FF
  • Siwell, Sywell 1287 Ass
  • Seywell 1287 Ass 1766 J

Etymology

This is a difficult name. The only suggestion that can be offered is that the first element is a pers. name Seofa , not on record, but of which we have a diminutive in Seacourt (Berks), Seofocanwyrð in BCS 1002. The same name seems to occur in Seawell (Nth), v. wielle .

Places in the same Parish