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.

Elton

Early-attested site in the Parish of Welford

Historical Forms

  • Elfledestona c.1130 OxfordCharters
  • Alflintona 1220–32 Os
  • Alfyntona, Alflynton' 1272 ib
  • Elphinton Ade et Galfridi 1220 Fees
  • Elfintona 1222 Os
  • Elfington (p), Elfinton 1275–6 RH
  • Elfenton' (p), Elfeton' 1284 Ass
  • Elfynton' 1297 CornAcc
  • Elfeton', Elfreton', Elfleton' 1241 Ass
  • Elfreton' 1242–3 Fees
  • Ailfleton' 1244 AddCh
  • Elflintona c.1280 Os
  • Elflynton 1389 ib
  • Elfton 1340 Cl
  • (molendinum de) Elstone 1432 Os
  • Elfyngton alias Aylton 1509–10 Os
  • Elton Farm 1761 Rocque

Etymology

v. tūn , ingtūn . The first el. is a pers.n., but it is difficult to say which. Dr O. von Feilitzen suggests that the base was OE  *Æðel - flǣdingtūn , the earliest spellings having -es - by analogy with other p.ns. formed from a masc. pers.n. and tūn .