Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Cliftune 1001–12 ASWrits(S1383)

• Clistone 1086 DB

• Clistune 1158 France

• Cliston 1291 Tax 1340 NI

• Clyston, Gliston (sic) 1291 Tax

• Clifton(') 1214 Cur 1216 ClR 1280,1288 Ass 1306 Pat 1811 OS

• Clyfton(') 1244,1288 Ass 1332 SR 1575 Saxton

• Cliffton' 1288 Ass

• Clipston' 1214 Cur

• Clifton Maubank 1303 Drew 1404 IpmR 1774 Hutch1 1870 Hutch3

• Clifton Maubaunk 1309 Drew

• Clifton Mabank 1311 Drew 1319 FF

• Clyfton Ma(u)banke 1447 ADI 1454 FF 1455 Cl

• Clyfton Mabancke 1572 DCMDeed

• Clistone in 1086 DB (VCHDo 3 88)

Etymology

'Farmstead or settlement on the hill slope, or on the river bank', from clif and tūn , the first el. referring either to Clifton Hill which rises to 179′ between the R. Yeo and its unnamed tributary forming the W bdy of the par., or to the bank of R. Yeo on which Clifton is situated.

The distinctive manorial affix is from the Maubank family: William Malbeenc held the manor in c.1086 GeldR of Hugh, Earl of Chester (Eyton 113, 123), cf. also William Maubanc 1216 ClR, Philip Ma (u )ba (u )nk 1306 Pat, 1316 FA, 1323 Ipm, Walter Maubank 1324 Pat, etc. The early forms in Clis -, Clys - represent orthographic misreadings of long s for f . It will be noted the spelling Maybank is recent: the original form is retained in the name of Clifton Maubank Ho infra . There is mention of a mill at Clistone in 1086 DB (VCHDo 388).