Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Santacherche 1086 DB

• Kirkesant' a.1152 Furness

• Kirkesantan 1333 Ass

• Kirksanton 1175–90 DuLa

• Kyrksanton 1278 Ass

• Kirkesanton 1333 ib

• Kirksancton 1629 PR

• Kyrkesande 1292 Ass

• holmum de Kirkesantan 1175–94 Furness

Etymology

In the parish was holmum de Kirkesantan 1175–94 Furness. v. holmr . The Rev. W . S. Sykes tells us that the holm in Kirksanton is known locally as Monksholm , from the monks of Furness.

'Church of St Sanctan,' v. kirkja . The name Sanctán was borne by more than one early Irish saint. There is an exact parallel to this name in the parish-name Kirk Santon in the Isle of Man (PN IOM 133), 13th ecclesia Sancti Santani . It has been suggested (Sedgefield 71) that a corruption of the name Santan into Saint Anne may explain the dedication of the chapel of Thwaites in this parish to the latter saint at its consecration in 1724. There is a recorded example of such a corruption in the name Kill St Ann in county Dublin, which represents an earlier Cill Easpuig Sanctáin (PN IOM loc. cit .).