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.

Fitzworth Copse, Fitzworth Fm, Fitzworth Heath, Fitzworth Point

Early-attested site in the Parish of Corfe Castle

Historical Forms

  • Fitoure 1545 Hutch3
  • Vytower 1617 ib
  • Fitzoure 1661 Hutch1
  • Vitt-Ower 1774 ib
  • Vittower 1795 Boswell
  • Fitworth, Fytworth 1561 Hutch3
  • Phitworth 1586 Hutch3
  • Fitzworth 1571 Hutch3 1633 Hutch3
  • Fitzworth Heath 1811 OS
  • Fitzworth or Vitt-Ower 1861 Hutch3

Etymology

Fitzworth Copse, Fitzworth Fm (SY 990866), Fitzworth Heath, Fitzworth Point, Fitoure 1545 Hutch3, Vytower 1617 ib, Fitzoure 1661 Hutch1, Vitt -Ower 1774 ib, Vittower 1795 Boswell, Fitworth , Fytworth 1561 Hutch3, Phitworth 1586 Hutch3, Fitzworth 1571 Hutch3, 1633 Hutch3, Fitzworth Heath 1811 OS, Fitzworth or Vitt -Ower 1861 Hutch3. The second el. is OE  ōra1 'bank, shore' as in Ower infra which lies 1 mile SE in a very similar position on a small cape on the S shore of Poole Harbour. The first el. is probably OE  fitt 'fight, contest', so that the name would mean 'shore subject to dispute', cf. Fitmoor Gl 1215. There is perhaps some reflection of this in the fact that at least part of Fitzworth was parcel of the manor of Worth Mat. infra in 1561 and 1571 (Hutch3 1662, 692).This association may also explain the remarkable replacement of -ower by -worth as well as that of Fit - by Fitz -, for the Fitz Paynes held knight's fees in the manor of Worth Mat. from at least as early as 1212 until c. 1346 (not to mention the wife of Hugh Fitz Grip who had 3 virgates of land there in 1086 DB and the Fitz Alans who inherited the manor c. 1379) (Hutch3 1692).

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name

Major Settlement