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.

Thornthwaite

Early-attested site in the Parish of Boltons

Historical Forms

  • Tornthayt 1268 MinAcct
  • Thornthweyt 1279 Ass
  • Thornethweyt 1285 For
  • Thornthwayt 1292 Ass
  • Thornwhat al. Thornethaite 1567 FF
  • caput de Thorne- tweyt beck' 1300 For
  • caput Thornethebek 1540 LRMB
  • the head of Thornthwaite beke 1578 Cocker
  • the head of Thornthwait 1777 NB

Etymology

'Thorn clearing,' þveit. Lindkvist (125) compares the ODan place-name Thornthwed .