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.

Towthorpe

Early-attested site in the Parish of Londesborough

Historical Forms

  • Toletorp 1086 DB 1109–14 RegAlb
  • Tollethorp 1228 Pat
  • Tolthorp(e) 1285 KI 1303 KF
  • Touthorpe in the thistles, Towthorpe in the thistles 1359 YD
  • Towthrope in the Thystelles 1546 YChant

Etymology

'Toli 's village,' v. þorp . The late OE  pers. name Toli (NP 143), ME  Tole , is a loan from OEScand  Toli or Tolle . Toli is recorded thrice in OWScand sources, but in two of the instances there is doubt about the form and the third may have reference to a Dane (LindN). Cf. Tolethorpe (R), the Swedish place-name Tolethorp (Lundgren-Brate 281) and Danish Tollerup (DaSN(F) 94). Dr Knudsen also calls attention to other examples of this pers. name in Denmark in place-names like Tollerød (near Ringsted) and Tollubølle (Langeland).

Places in the same Parish

Major Settlement