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.

Rusling End

Early-attested site in the Parish of Knebworth

Historical Forms

  • Risteling' 1294 SR
  • Resseling' 1296 ib
  • Rustlingg' 1307 ib
  • Rystling' 1325 FF
  • Rustlyng mylponde t.Ed6 Lytton
  • Ruslingend 1622 Sess
  • Rushland End 1676 S

Etymology

Rusling End is Risteling '1294SR , Resseling '1296 ib., Rustlingg '1307 ib., Rystling '1325FF (all p), Rustlyng mylponde t. Ed 6Lytton , Ruslingend 1622 Sess, Rushland End 1676 S.The forms are too late to decide whether this is an original name in ing(as) or not. If so, the base might be a personal name Rystel , an l -derivative of Rusta , found in Rustington (PN Sx 172). If, on the other hand, we have to do with a singular name in ing , one might think of some connection with the word rustle (rustling ), but the history of that word is obscure. There is also the possibility of association with OE  rēost , dialectal reest , 'share-beam of a plough,' but the history of that word is also obscure. The place lies on a ridge. Dr Ritter suggests a personal name Riestel , derived from this same stem.