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.

Tendring

Major Settlement in the Parish of Tendring

Historical Forms

  • Tenderinge 1086 DB
  • Tendering 1282 Orig
  • Tenderinge 1294 Pat
  • Tendringa, Tendringā, Tendring(e) 1086 DB 1222 FF 1306 Londin
  • Tendringia 1154–61 Colch
  • Tendring(g)es 1135–54 Colch 1203 FF 1274 RH 1306,1309 Londin
  • Tenring(e) 1195,1200,1233 FF 1266 Pat
  • Tendrige 1212 RBE
  • Tendrugg' 1217 FF
  • Thendrig 1228 Cl
  • Tenrigg(e) 1230 P 1271 FF
  • Tandringe, Tanrige 1212 RBE
  • Tendring 1234,1259 FF 1238 SR 1255 Ass
  • Tendrin, Tendren 1687,1691 ThorpePR

Etymology

This is a difficult name but Professor Ekwall and Dr Ritter agree in suggesting that it probably goes back to OE  Tyndringas and that it may possibly be compared with Tündern on the Weser, 1004 Tundiriun , 1025 Tundirin (Förstemann, ON ii, 1009–10). To this parallel Ritter would add that of Zunderenhart in Lower Franconia (ib. 1470). These names are related to OE  tynder , 'tinder,' but the sense of the derivative tyndringas remains obscure. Professor Ekwall suggests it may simply denote migrants from Tündern.