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.

Wawne

Major Settlement in the Parish of Wawne

Historical Forms

  • Wagene 1086 DB 1191 P
  • Waghene 1086 DB 1228 FF 1246 Ass 1260 Rental 1294
  • Wahene 1260 YI
  • Wagla 1115 YCh1304
  • Wagna 12th Nunkeel 1150 Meaux 1238 Ch 1349 Meaux
  • Waghna 1150–60etfreqtoc.1400 Melsa c.1200 Meaux
  • Waghen 1150–3 YCh40 1228 FF 1478 YD
  • Waghen en Holdernesse, Waghen in Holdernesse 1347 Meaux
  • Waghena 1205 ChR c.1220,1228 Meaux
  • Wagen 1293 QW
  • Waghan 1548 FF
  • Wagne 1153,1177 Meaux 1228,1244 RegAlb
  • Wahgne 1242 FF
  • Wagn' 1216–20,1235 Meaux 1257 RegAlb
  • Wawene 1223 Baildon
  • Wawen 1524 Test
  • Waugne 1228 Ebor 1244,1246 RegAlb
  • Waughene 1436 Baildon
  • Waune 1228–1231 Ebor
  • Wawne 1371 Pat 1840 Poulson

Etymology

The final vowel in the Wagna - forms is the Latin nom. case ending and does not represent a fully stressed element; cf. Goxhill infra 66. Ekwall (RN 440) has suggested that Wawne contains an OE  word *wagen , derived from wagian 'to move, wag,' related to ME  waʒe from OE  *wagu 'wave,' and meaning 'quagmire' or the like. Warne (PN D 201), from Waghefenne , probably contains a word derived from the same root and the meaning of the compound, 'quaking fen,' would approximate to that of Wawne.