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.

Hengaston Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Cam

Historical Forms

  • Hungaston 1346 Heref
  • Hungarston 1346 1575 TRMB
  • Hungerston 1348 Heref
  • Hingarston 1374 Ipm
  • Hingaston c.1603 TRMB
  • Hongarston 1375 Ipm 1575 TRMB
  • Hangastonley 1567 FF
  • Hennegaston 1575 TRMB
  • Henge(e)ston 1584 Comm 1777 M
  • Hengarstonley 1610 FF
  • Hengaston 1830 M

Etymology

The first el. is uncertain but it may be from OE  henn 'hen, water- hen' with variations in the compound han-garston due to analogy from els. like hana 'cock' or an OE  pers.n. Hȳna , cf. Hungerstone (He, DEPN). v. gærs-tūn 'a grass enclosure', which was reported as So dial. garston 'a stock-rearing yard near a village' (EDD s.v.) and is common in Gl f.ns.