Hornsea
Major Settlement in the Parish of Hornsea
Historical Forms
- Hornesse 1086 DB 1301 Ebor 1358 Ch
- Hornessei 1086 DB
- Hornseie 1087–95 MaryR
- Horneseia 1160–75 YCh1348
- Horneshai 1156–7 YCh354 t.Ric1 Ch 1308
- Hornese 1175–85 Bridl 1228 Ebor 1349 Meaux
- Hornes' 1208 FF
- Hornesee 1300 Ebor 1390 Test
- Hornesce 1528 ib
- Hornse 1221–35 Melsa 1461 Test
- Horense 1248 Ebor
- Hornsey 1529 FF
- Horneshey 1542 NCWills
- Hornsea 1828 Langd
- Horns Herred ib. 132
Etymology
The name Hornsea was originally that of the great lake afterwards called Hornsea Mere (infra 65); it is quite clear that the second element of the name is OE sǣ 'pool, lake' (cf. Kilnsea supra 15) or OScand sǽr . The first element is more difficult, but whilst we may have the OEScand pers. name Horn (i ), it seems more likely that the OE or OScand word horn 'horn' is used here in one of its topographical senses, as suggested for Horrington (So) and Horning (Nf), cf. Karlström 103, PN in -ing 79.In some cases OE horn appears to be used of the corner of land formed by a bend in a river, as in Hornington (WRY), Horninctune DB, and a lost place in Hornington called Hornleg 1221 FF, Eskhamhorn ib., Horn (R), on Hornan 852 BCS 464, etc. In Scandinavia horn was used in a similar way, especially of a 'stream with a sharp bend in its course' (NoEN 107), but it is much more frequently used in the sense 'nook of land, projecting piece of land, headland' (cf. NoGN Indledning 57, iii, 128, x, 134; Modéer, Svenska Skärgårdsnamn 79). The meaning 'projecting piece of land' is evidenced too in the Danish place-names Hornbæk , Hornsøholm (DaSN(F) 13–14), Horns Herred ib. 132, the latter providing a parallel to Hornsea. The name probably means 'lake in which lies a projecting piece of land,' and this would be very appropriate, as at the lower end of the lake near Hornsea village a long narrow peninsula goes out into the water.At one time the peninsula may have been even longer, for a small island (Swan Island) appears to be a continuation of it. One or two of the earliest spellings, Hornesse , etc. appear to be gen. compounds. These are occasionally found with significant words in English (cf. Zachrisson, Englische Studien lxx, 60 ff.), but they are much more common in Scandinavia. Similarly the persistent Horne - spellings may, as Professor Zachrisson suggests, represent an OE weak gen. sg. Hornan -.