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.

Essendon

Major Settlement in the Parish of Essendon

Historical Forms

  • (into) Eslingadene 11th KCD1354 12th
  • Esendene 1077–93 Gesta 14th Ipm 1324
  • Esendane 1275 RH
  • Esindene 1228 Cl
  • Essendona t.Hy2 Ch 1313
  • Essenden(e) 1172 P 1362 Pat
  • Essendune 1235 FF
  • Essendon(e) 1235–51 Ch 1240 RBE 1292 Ch
  • Isendun 1247 Pat
  • Isenden 1249,1285 ib
  • Hesingdene 1278 Ass
  • Esingdon 1318 Pat
  • Esyngdon 1374 Cl
  • Esyngden 1547 Pat
  • Essyngdene 1429 FF
  • Easenden 1657 Survey

Etymology

The earliest form is from a reliable document and cannot be dismissed as corrupt. It points to an OE  Ēslinga denu , 'valley of the people of Ēsla ,' v. denu . Cf. Eslington (PN NbDu 77–8).