Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Sixte(n)dale, Xistendale 1086 DB

• Sextenesdala 1123–8 Ch 1336 MaryR 1145–60

• Sixtendale, Syxtendale, Syxtendala a.1139 Riev 1161–84 MaryR c.1250 Kirkham 1333 SR 1413 Kirkham

• Sixtenedale 1156–7 YCh354

• Sixteendale 1617 BM

• Sistenedala 1150–60 YCh461

• Sextendala 1154–81 Ch 1336 Kirkham 1154–9 c.1250 ib

• Sextenedal' 1161,1162 P

• Sextendaile als. Thissendale 1605 FF

• Sexendale, Sexindale 12th,13th Kirkham 1329 FF

• Sexendalle 1285 KI

• Sixendale, Syxendale, Syxindale 1263 Baildon 1297 LS 1402 YI

• Thyssyndalle 1548 FF

• Septendaile als. Thissyndaile 1588 FF

• Thixindale, Thixendale 1566 FF 1650 ParlSurv

• Thyxyndall als. Syxyndall 1559 FF

• Thistendale 1695 Morden

• Sexdecim vallibus 1170–81 LeonardR, 1180–9 YCh 984, 1268 FF, etc.

• Sezeuals 1195, 1196 P (p), etc.

• Systyldall (c. 1250 Kirkham)

Etymology

It is sometimes found as Latin Sexdecim vallibus 1170–81LeonardR , 1180–9 YCh 984, 1268 FF, etc. (freq as surname) and French Sezeuals 1195, 1196 P (p), etc.

'Sigsten 's valley,' v. dæl . The pers. name Sighsten is common in OEScand , especially in the form Six (s )ten (Lundgren-Brate 221). It is found a few times in OWScand  in the form Sixstein , but the Norw pers. name was probably a loan from Swedish (LindN s.n. Sigsteinn ). In England it occurs as Sistain in DB (NP 121) and enters into the place-name Sysonby (Lei), Sixtenebi 1086 DB. In the case of Thixendale it was clearly confused with the numeral sixteen , hence the Latin and French  translations, Sexdecim vallibus and Sezeuals . v. Addenda lx.

The phonetic jump in the later forms of the name is curious, but there is a possible local parallel in Thystildall with a variant Systyldall (c. 1250Kirkham ). On medial x becoming s in the 16th century v. Introd. xxxi.