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.

The Toft

Early-attested site in the Parish of Sharnbrook

Historical Forms

  • Toft(e) 1279 RH 1331 QW
  • Taft 1804 Smith

Etymology

v. topt . It is noteworthy that this place shares with Toft (C) the honour of being one of the two most southerly examples of this element in English place-names. While it is not as a rule definite evidence for Scandinavian settlement, for it was a common ME word, it is perhaps worthy of note that it is found in the same parish as Francroft supra 41. See further, Introd. xix.