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.

Alston

Early-attested site in the Parish of Buckland Monachorum

Historical Forms

  • Halpiston, Oppeton juxta Halpiston 1323 Ass

Etymology

It is identical with Alston infra 330 and with Albaston in Calstock (Co), Alpeston , Alpiston 1338Rental , Alpeston 1357, Albeston 1399Ct .These forms are probably reductions of an earlier Ælfbeorhtestun , i.e. Ælfbeorht 's tun , v. tun . For the unvoicing of b , cf. Alpraham (Ch), Alburgham DB, Alpraham 1310 St Werburgh Cart., Ashprington infra 314 and Alperton (Mx), Alprinton 1199 FF, which seems to contain the same pers. name as Alston itself.