Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Penegestorp, Peningestorp 1200 FF

• Peningthorp(e) 13th Bridl

• Penythorp(p) c.1265 KF 1375 BM

• Penigthorp 1285 KI

• Penist(h)orp, Penyst(h)orp 1297 SR 1307 Baildon 1331 FF 1352 BM

• Penst(h)orp 1341 FF 1349 Ipm c.1400 Melsa

• Penstrope 1547 FF

• Penesthorp 1519 ib

• Penestrope 1567 ib

Etymology

The first element is a pers. name Pen (n )ing , which occurs also in Penistone (WRY), Pengeston (e )DB, 1241 Fees, Peningeston 1204 YD, Penegestona 1225Nostell , and a lost place near Penistone called Penisale, Penigheshal '1190–1208 YCh 1803, etc.Penning is an assimilated form of Pending , which may be a patronymic from the rare OE  Penda (Redin 69, cf. Pinvin, PN Wo 223) or OE  pending , pening , pen (n )ig 'penny' used as a pers. name 'a man worth a penny'; cf. OE  Scilling . OE  pen (n )ing itself is thought to be a derivative of Penda , the name of the Mercian king (cf. Dickins, LSE i, 20). LindBN records an ON  byname Peningr , probably the name of a foreigner, which perhaps has a similar connotation. 'Pening 's village,' v. þorp .The variations in the spellings of these place-names are those found in the history of the word penny (v. NED s.v.).

Pensthorpe is a lost Humber village which was to the west of Welwick Drain (1786 Tuke). Cf. Boyle 86. There is a field in Welwick now called Penstrops .