Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Garmundi via 1072×83 Rbk 15th

• via Garmundi 1104×7 SD

• Garmundeswege 1133×41 Ct

• Garmundeswey 13th DEC

• Garmundesway(') 1183 BB c.1320

• Garmundeswaie late 12th (p) FPD, Spec

• Garmundeswaie, garmundesweie 1200 Spec c.1500

• Garmundeswai c.1200 Spec

• Garmundeswaye 1230 Pipe 1235 Ass

• Garmundesway 1235×6 Ass

• Garmundesw' late12th Spec

• Garmu'deesway 1220 ib

• Garmundeseye 1242×3 Ass

• Garmu'disway 1324 Spec

• Carmundesway 1261 FPD

• Germundesweya 1183 BB c.1382

• Germu'deswaye 1406 Pont

• Garmondeswaye [1183]14th,[1183]15th BB

• Garmonndesway 1278 Finc c.1500

• Garmundewai late12th Spec

• Garmundeweye 1235 Ass

• garmandeway 1236 ib

• Garmondeway 1278 Spec

• Garmandswey c.1700 DEC

• Garmansway 1771 NCB/1/D/64

• garmansweie moore 1621 Ct

• Garmansway Moor 1781 NCB/1/D/64

• Garmondsway Moor 1717 NCB/1/D/64

• Garmonsway Moor 1733 HC/CB70 1752,1792,1820 NCB/1/D/64 1816 DX/75/29

Etymology

'Garmund's road', probably OE  pers.n. Gārmund , genitive sing. Gārmundes , + weg . One of the occasional Ger - spellings, however, appears in MS B of Boldon Buke , which although not the earliest MS nevertheless presents the place-names in an archaic spelling system which may reflect that of the original or near original 1183 survey. This may, therefore, point to ODan , OSwed  Germund (ON  Geirmundr SPNLY 99, SPNN 137) or Frankish Germund , subsequently Anglicised by the substitution of OE  Gar -.

Major place-names of the type pers.n. + weg are extremely rare, the only other example since the elimination of Thoresway Lincolnshire PNL 3150 being Hanwell Oxfordshire PNO 398, Hanewege 1086, 'Hana's road'. Comparison maybe made with Brancepeth, Brantespethe c. 1175, 'Brand's track or Roman road', Alspath Warwickshire PNWa 64, Ailespede 1086, 'Ælle's track' and Hudspeth NbDu 119, Hodespeth 1252, 'Hod's path'.