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.

Dolton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Dolton

Historical Forms

  • Dueltona, Duveltona 1086 DB(Exon)
  • Oueltone
  • Duwelton(e) 1217–22 HMCix,494 1274 Ipm 1292 Cl
  • Dyvilton 1235 Cl
  • Dughelton 1235 Pat 1238 Ass 1285 FA 1292 Ipm
  • Dughilton 1339 Ass
  • Dueltune 1275 RH
  • Dueltone 1291 Tax 1297 Pat
  • Duylton 1315 Pat
  • Deweltone 1279 Exon
  • Deulton 1341 Cl
  • Doghelton 1364 Ass
  • Dowelton 1477 BM
  • Dowylton 1535 VE
  • Doulton 1675 Ogilby

Etymology

The first element in this name is clearly identical with that of the adjacent parish of Dowland infra 367. Since the places have no topographical feature in common, the probability is that as in Petherwin and Molland supra 158, 342, the first element is the name of some ancient district or large area. No suggestion can be made for the etymology apart from the fact that the first syllable may be the British word for 'black,' cf. the early spellings of Dawlish and Duvale infra 491, 531.