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.

Dent

Early-attested site in the Parish of Cleator

Historical Forms

  • mons Dinet c.1200 StB
  • Denthill 1576 S
  • Dint 1690 CWxvii 1779 CaineCl
  • Dennt 1754 ib

Etymology

As noted in DEPN, this is the same name as Dent (PN WRY 58), for which the earliest form is Denet c. 1200 Ass. It is certainly Celtic in origin. Cf. OIr  dind , 'hill.'Dent Hill in Stainmore (We) may be another example of this name, but no form has so far been found earlier than 1724 PR (Brough) (Dent House ). Cf. also Dent in Millom (421).