Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Roreston 1086 DB

• Ruston 1167 P 1306 BevAct

• Little Ruston 1583 FF

• Ruston upon le Wolde 1600 FF

• Ruston Parva 1828 Langd

• Rouston 1206 FF 1227 Percy

• Roston(a) 1219 Percy 1227 FF 1375 FF

• Ruyston 1546 FF

Etymology

The last spelling and the modern local pronunciation point to a ME form with a long vowel, whilst the DB forms show that the name is identical with Royston (WRY), Rorestun (e ), Roreston 1086 DBet freq to 1300 Ebor, Roston 1268 Ebor et freq , Rusetun 1349 Bretton Cartulary, Ruston 1409 Diocesan Visitation. The first element is OScand  Hróarr , Rōar , with the diphthong simplified to ō as in late OE  Rold (BCS 1052, DB) from OScand  Hróaldr .'Roar 's farmstead,' v. tun . Ekwall (DEPN s.n. Rorrington, Sa) suggests the possibility of an OE  pers. name Hrōr from OE  hrōr 'vigorous, strong.' 'Little,' 'Parva' to distinguish it from Long Riston supra 70 and perhaps Ruston (PN NRY 100).