Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (firma de) Argent(e) 1194,1195,1197 P 1196 ChancR

• molend' de Erghente 1244 Ass

• Irgente 1332 SR

• terra de Argenta 1372 ChrP

• Argaunte 1534 Ct

• Orgons, Urgons 1590 Hen2

• Organfo(u)rde 1593 DCMDeed 1597 Feth

• Orgayne als. Organt 1600 Hen1

• Organ Green, Organ Ho & Organ Md 1838 TA

Etymology

Organ Ford (Organ Bridge & Organ Fm) (SY 939924), Organ Ho (Organ Manor 1″), (firma de ) Argent (e )1194, 1195, 1197 P, 1196 ChancR, molend ' de Erghente 1244Ass , Irgente 1332 SR (p), terra de Argenta n.d. (1372) ChrP , ergentemede 1420 Hen1, Argaunte 1534Ct , Orgons , Urgons 1590Hen 2, Organfo (u )rde 1593DCMDeed , 1597Feth , Orgayne als. Organt 1600Hen 1, Organ Green , Organ Ho & Organ Md 1838TA , v. mǣd , ford . This is a difficult name, but it may be of Fr origin. It is possible that it is to be connected with OFr , AN  argent (< Lat  argentum ) 'silver', also 'silver money'; this word is apparently found in 12th cent. surnames in England (cf. Geoffrey Argent 1180 (Nth) cited by Reaney), but there is no evidence for its occurrence in English p.ns. It is perhaps more likely that Argent (e ) is a transferred p.n. from Argent (Cher) (v. A. Dauzat & Ch. Rostaing, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de lieux en France , Paris 1963, p. 26) or some other place in France rather than an original coinage (Tengvik 69 connects the surname of Reginald de Argente 1273 (Essex) with Argent (Cher)), cf. Richmond YN 287 which was named from one of the Richemonts in France. The estate of Argent (e ) was held by a certain Lecia de Brouilla , Lecia de Broil in 1194–5. In Northern Fr  usage, the spelling gh before a front vowel (as in the 1244 form) may indicate the pronunciation [g] (Feilitzen § 126), but if the original pronunciation of the medial -g - was [dʒ] rather than [g], it is possible that [g] is a spelling pronunciation, perhaps originating as late as the 16th cent. and perhaps reinforced by popular association of the name with the word organ 'wild marjoram, pennyroyal'. Professor Jackson thinks that any connection with PrW  *argant 'silver' is very doubtful, pointing out that the -g - in this word was the palatal or velar voiced fricative [j] or [y], cf. the r.ns. Arrow He and Erring Burn Nb in Ekwall RN 17–18, 150.