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.

Tattenhoe

Major Settlement in the Parish of Tattenhoe

Historical Forms

  • Taddenho 1167 P
  • Tatenho(u) 1179 P 1215 WellsR c.1219 WellsL 1227 Ass 1232 Fees
  • Thotenho 1227 Ass
  • Totenho 1227 Ass 1247 1247 Fees 1302 FA
  • Toternho 1237–40 Fees 1346 FA
  • Totho 1262 Ass
  • Totherno 13th ADiv
  • Totenhoo 1400 Pat 1509 LP
  • Totynhoe 1486 Pat
  • Totonho 1490 Ipm
  • Tottynho 1534 LP

Etymology

'Tata's spur of land' v. hoh . This hoh has also given rise to Howe Park in this parish. The vowel is long in OE  Tāta and seems to have developed to ME open o before shortening took place. Then the vowel was shortened in the trisyllable and late unrounding has taken place. This explanation however only holds good if we believe that here, as in Totternho (Beds), Skeat's view (PN Beds) holds good that the r which appears in certain comparatively late forms is purely excrescent.

Places in the same Parish

None