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.

Elworth, East Elworth & West Elworth

Early-attested site in the Parish of Abbotsbury

Historical Forms

  • Aleurde 1086 DB
  • Ellewrd(e) 1210 P 1212 Fees
  • Elleworþe 1221 Ilch
  • Elleworth(e) 1269 1280 Ipm 1305 1412 FA
  • Ellewurth 1285 FA 1332 Midd 1467,1478 Ilch
  • Elworthe 1361 Cl 1535 VE
  • Ellworth 1631 Ilch
  • Elleworth(e) Payn 1346,1428,1431 FA
  • Estelleworth 1345 Pat
  • Estelleworth iuxta Abbotesbury 1417 Ilch
  • Est Elleworth juxta Portesham 1371 FF 1412 FA
  • West Elleworth' 1420 Ilch
  • West Ellewurth' 1478 ib
  • Est Elworth', West Elworth' 1495 ib
  • Ellesworthe juxta Abbottesbury 1398 IpmR
  • Aylewourth 1557 Fry

Etymology

'Enclosed settlement of a man called Ella', from the OE  pers.n. Ella and worð, with ēast , west . It is thus identical with Elworth PN Ch 2266.The affix Payn is manorial; Robert filius Pagani was here in 1212 Fees, Robert Fitzpain held (East) Elworth in 1281 Hutch3 2726. For the Fitz Payn family, cf. Okeford Fitzpaine par. 3 180 and Wootton Fitzpaine par. infra .