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.

Ivinghoe

Major Settlement in the Parish of Ivinghoe

Historical Forms

  • Evinghehou 1086 DB
  • Hiuingho 1195 Cur(P)
  • Iuingeho 1195 Cur(P) 1199 Fines
  • Ivingho 1227 Ch
  • Ivengho 1241 Ass 1255 For
  • Ivingo 1303 Cl
  • Ivanhoe 1665 HertsSess

Etymology

OE  Ifinga - (g )e (dat.), 'the hoh of Ifa's people.' For Ifa as an OE name v. Forssner 169. The same name is found in Ivington (He) and its strong form in Iveston and Ivesley (Du).The place stands at the base of a considerable spur of land jutting out from the main range of the Chilterns (Harman).For the DB form v. IPN 113 (top) and cf. the DB form for Tingewick. The curious way in which Scott, who is always thought (and probably rightly so) deliberately to have altered Ivinghoe to Ivanhoe , actually hit upon one identical with a form found in documentary evidence in the 17th cent. (not then published) is worthy of note. The coincidence is the more remarkable seeing that an for ing is without parallel in other p.n.

Places in the same Parish