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.

Finchingfield

Major Settlement in the Parish of Finchingfield

Historical Forms

  • Fincingefeldā, Fincinghefelda, Phincing(h)efelda, Phincing(h)efeldā, Phincing(h)efeldam 1086 DB
  • Finchelesfeld' 1190–2 P
  • Finchesfeld (Finchelefeld) 1194 P
  • Fynchesfeld 1407 Pat
  • Finchyncfeld 1196 FF
  • Finchinkefeud 1264 Misc
  • Finching(e)feld 1200–61 FF 1202 Stoke 1203 Cur 1255 Ass
  • Finching(e)feud(e) 1227,1239 FF
  • Finching(e)ford 1248 Ass 1238 SR 1239–42 ADi
  • Fynchin(g)g(e)feld 1239 FF 1264 Pat 1303 FA
  • Fynchyngfeld 1322–37 Londin
  • ffynchinge(s)ford 1285 Ass
  • Fingin(g)feld 1202 FF 1248 Ass
  • Finchlingefeld 1202 Cur
  • Finchefeld 1203 Cur 1235(p),1254 Ass 1303 Pat 1361 IpmR
  • Fynchefeld 1439 FF
  • Finchfeild 1667 EASxvii
  • Finchigefeld 1212 RBE
  • Finkingfeld 1218 Fees
  • Finchinfeld 1230 FF 1295 Ipm
  • Finchinfeud 1291 Tax
  • Fingchincfeld 1252 Cl
  • Fyngchyngesfeld 1268 FF
  • Fynchyngefeld 1269 ib
  • ffynchesford 1285 Ass
  • Fichingfeld 1379 Fine

Etymology

This is probably to be interpreted as 'open country of the people of Finc ,' the bird-name being used as a pers. name, v. ing , feld . The name is on independent record as a second name in Godric finc (KCD 923) and we have either the bird- name or a pers. name in finces stapel (BCS 986), more probably the latter. The forms of Finchley (PN Mx 29), earlier Fynchesle , and Finchdean Hundred (Ha), earlier Finchesdene (1167 P), with persistent genitival s , point similarly to a pers. name. Cf. also Fincheswell in Hayles (Gl) 1256 Winchcombe.