Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Herstan 1086 DB

• Herston 1428 FA 1498 Cl

• Harestan c.1130 LeicSurv 1156 Ch 1318 ChancR 1180 P 1191 Rut e.13 RHug 1223 RH 1276 CroxR Edw1

• Harestane 1212 RBE

• Harastan c.1270 WoCart 1449 Ch 1290

• Harestun c.1155 Rut

• Harestuna 12 BelCartB e.15

• Hareston' 1180 P 1197 1369 Rut 1396,1407 BelCartB 1535 VE

• Harstan 1195 P 1205 Fine e.13 Rut 1321 1322 1347 et passim

• Harstane e.14 BelCartA

• Harstuna Hy1 Ch 1333 BelCartB Hy2 e.15

• Harstona Hy3 Rut 1472 Derby 1577 LEpis

• Harston 1253×58 RHug Edw1 Rut 1316 FA 1360 WoCart 1449 Rut 1369

Etymology

'The boundary-stone', v. hār 2 , stān , cf. Hoarstone, Wo 250. OE  hār 'grey, lichen-covered' is frequently used with words denoting objects forming boundary marks, or lying on boundaries, so that it has long been thought that hār came to mean 'boundary'. In this Leics. example, the use of the definite declension for the adj. (i.e. hāra ) is perhaps significant since this usage usually indicated that the item modified was the one expected in that context; thus the combination hār plus stān was something more than simply the addition of adj. to noun as 'grey stone', but rather 'boundary-stone'. The eastern boundary of the township is the division between Leics. and Lincs.