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.

Ratherton

Early-attested site in the Parish of Holsworthy

Historical Forms

  • Rit(t)hedon 1238 Ass 1330 SR
  • Ritherdon 1281 Ass 1333 SR 1391 FF
  • Ryderdon 1428 FA

Etymology

In spite of the absence of u -forms we are probably right in interpreting this as 'cattle-hill,' from OE  hryðer and dun.