Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Thinneforde 1280 GD

• Thynforde 1312 GD

• Thinforde 1324 ib

• Thynford' 1434 Forcer

• Thynford iuxta Trillesden' 1436 ib

• Thynford c.1450 Ct

• Thynford next Thurlesden 1471 IPM

• Thynford next Thirlsden 1474 ib

• Thinford 1647 ParlSurv

• Tynford next Tyrrelsden 1501 IPM

• Tharnford 1675 Ogilby

• Thinford Mill 1839 TA

• Slatey Ford 1839 TA

• Thynnewode 1289 PND

• Thenacombe 1284 PND

Etymology

OE  þynne + ford. OE  þynne is rare in p.ns. and is glossed 'thin, not dense, poor', the antithesis of þicce 'thick, dense', as in Thinwood Devon SX 2398, Thynnewode 1289 PND 292. On the face of it Thinford should be the opposite of the common p.n. Bradford 'broad ford'. The ford must have been at NZ 432350 across the upper part of Tursdale Beck, a narrow and insignificant stream at this point. The normal term for a narrow ford is smæl -ford as Smallford Hertfordshire TL 1807, Smalford 1272, PNHerts 95. Other examples of thin in p.ns. are Thinacres Strathclyde NS 7350, Thinford Grampian NJ 8557, Thinholme Lincolnshire SK 7498, Thinhope Northumberland NY 6553, Thin Oaks Wood North Yorkshire SE 6786 and Thynacombe, Thenacombe 1284 PND 292.