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.

Lowsmoor Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Avening

Historical Forms

  • Louesmere 1192 P
  • Lovvesmere 1418 Rent
  • Lowesmare 1291 Tax
  • Lowesmere 1309,1329,1474 MinAcct
  • Lowasmere 1316 MinAcct
  • Lousmere 1379 MinAcct
  • Lousemere 1411,1453 1418 Rent
  • Losemore 1542 LP 1638 FF 1779 Rudder

Etymology

The first el. is uncertain; the spellings Loues -, Lovves - could represent an OE  pers.n. Lēof but the persistent early Lowes - is unlikely to come from this, as -w - (which could also be represented by -u -, -vv -) seems to be original. We could therefore have OE  hlēo (gen.sg. hlēowes ) 'shelter', and the name would mean 'pool near the shelter', v. mere . OE  hlōse 'pigsty' which we have in Lowesmoor (Wo 112) is improbable in view of the early Lowes - spellings.