Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Penred 1167 P 1290 Ch

• Penred' 1214 PatR 1242 Pipe

• Penereth c.1185 Weth

• Penreth 1197 P 1597 FF

• Penret, Pennereth(e), Penerez, Pennereh', Penneret 1279 Ass

• Penreht 1314 Ipm 1389 Cl

• Penerth 1331 ib

• Penereht 1359 Ipm

• Penreth al. Penrethe 1459 Pat

• Penrith' 1242 Pipe 1292 Ass

• Penryth 1292 QW

• Penerith 1367 FF

• Penryg 1498 Norfolk

• Penrithe 1514 LP

• Pureth 1271 Cl

• Peareth 1397 ib

• Peryth 1486 Pat 1536 LP

• Perith 1511 ib

• Peareth al. Penreth 1585 FF

• Penrith vulgo Perith 1609 Cai

• Pearoth 1613 Naworth

• Penrith vulgo Perith 1675 Ogilby

• Pearith 1717 StJ

• Penret 9th (Chrest 156)

Etymology

Penrith is generally regarded as a British place-name formed from pen , which in place-names usually means 'head, top, end,' and riton , 'ford' (Welsh  rhyd ). Perret (Brittany), Penret 9th (Chrest 156) seems to be a parallel formation. A similar development of final -d is to be noted in Culcheth and Culgaith. There are two topographical objections to this explanation. The first is that Eamont Bridge, which is the only river-crossing of any significance in the neighbourhood of the town, is more than a mile to the south. It is no doubt possible that a place might be named from a ford as distant as this if, like the crossing at Eamont Bridge, it was of exceptional importance, but it would be hard to find any close parallel. The second objection is the absence of any elevation which could be called a hill at or near Eamont. This would be disposed of if, as Ekwall has suggested, pen in Penrith meant 'head' in the sense 'chief' or 'principal,' as in Welsh  pencyfeistedd , 'chief seat.' This explanation is in agreement with the medieval forms and probably approximates to the history behind this difficult name.