Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Ailestone 1086 DB a.1238,1283 Hastings

• Aileston 1086 DB e.13 Rut e.Hy3 Hastings Hy3,1334 Rut

• Ailestona 1209×19 RHug

• Ailiston 1199 GildR

• Ayleston e.13 Rut 1237 RGros c.1250 RTemple 1272 Rut 1480 1518 Visit

• Aylestone 1272,1313,1356 Rut 1630 LML

• Aylleston 1283 Banco 1315 GildR 1361,1363 Rut 1381 1494 Comp 1501,1508 Rut

• Ailston 1285×93 Hastings 1305 AllS 1611 LML

• Aylston 1337 Rut 1451,1452 LCDeeds 1617 Rut 1630 LML

• Egilston 1307 Pap

• Eyleston 1234 Cl 1253×58 RHug 1379 Pat 1447 Rut

• Eyliston 1209×35 RHug

• Eylistona c.1250 Rut

• Eylston 1420 Wyg 1485 Rut 1522 1558 Wyg

• Elston 1549 Pat 1571 SR 1617,1641 LML

• Elson 1725 ib

Etymology

Most probably 'the farmstead or village of a man called Ægel', v. tūn .The OE  masc. pers.n. Ægel is not recorded independently, but appears also in such p.ns. as Ailsworth (Nth 228), Aylesbury (Bk 145) and Aylworth (Gl 1199). The Scand  masc. pers.n. Egill is formally possible but less likely as the specific since there is no certain evidence of its use in England. (However, note what may be a unique archaic form surviving in the Papal Registers of 1307.) In either case, medial g would have been vocalized after a front vowel to i to form a diphthong with the preceding vowel.