Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Stivetune 1086 DB

• Stiueton' 1224–5 Ass 1337 Cl

• Estiventona 1122 Ch 1305

• Stiuinton' 1220 Fees

• Stiuenton' 1241 Ass

• Esteuentonam 1230 Bract c.1250

• Estiventon 1297 Pat

• Stevynton 1325 Cl 1369 Fine

• Stiuingtona 1230 Bract c.1250

• Stevyngton 1295 Pat 1325 Cl 1376,1380 Fine

• Styvington 1316 FA

• Stephyngton 1517 DInc

Etymology

The earliest reference to the place is in the phrase to stifingc hæma ge mære 964 (c. 1200) BCS 1142, to stifingehæme ge mæra 964 (c. 1240) ib, v. Pt 3.

This is one of a group of names comprising Steventon Ha and Stevington Bd (BdHu 46) and Ess (Ess 507). Perhaps the most likely explanation of all four names is that they consist of a pers.n. followed by –ingtūn . Cf. the group of names discussed Pt 1 240, formed from Brȳni and –ingtūn . The pers.n. was considered in BdHu 46 to be *Stȳfa , and the absence of spellings in -u - was tentatively ascribed in Wo 233 to the following labial. In view, however, of the charter forms stifingc hæma and stifinge hæme (for the meaning of which v. hǣme ), it is perhaps safer in the case of the Berks name to postulate an OE  *Stīf (a ), giving an etymology 'estate associated with Stīf(a)'. Ekwall (DEPN) suggests a pers.n. *Stīf , but is inclined to favour derivation from styfic 'stump'.