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.

Great Easton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Great Easton

Historical Forms

  • Estun 1041×57(m.12),m.12 HCand 1300 Ch
  • Estone 1086 DB
  • Estona 1125×28 LNPetr a.1150 Peake m.12 HCand 1280,1284 ChronPetr
  • Eston' 1146 Dugd 1189(1332),1227 Ch 1583 LEpis 1595 Ipm
  • Heston' l.13 Peake
  • Astuna m.12 HCand
  • Aston' 1327 Peake 1346 et passim
  • Eyston 1481 Dugd
  • Eystorn 1609 LeicW
  • Easton 1576 Saxton 1604 SR 1610 Speed
  • ~ iuxta Rogingham Brigge 1306 Ass
  • ~ iuxta Rokyngham 1305,1343 Cl
  • ~ iuxta Brynghyrst 1410,1429 Conant
  • ~ by Halyok 1505 Banco
  • ~ super Weland 1535 VE
  • ~ by Willond 1548 Conant
  • ~ by Wolland 1609 LeicW
  • ~ juxta Willand 1634 ib
  • ~ Magna 1619 LML 1628 SR
  • Great ~ 1717 LML

Etymology

'The east farmstead', v. ēast , tūn . Probably the eastern farmstead in relation to the township of Medbourne, 3 miles to its west. There is a Weston which lies 1½ miles to the south-west of Medbourne, beyond the river Welland in Northants. The affixes refer to neighbouring Bringhurst, Holyoaks (in Stockerston) and Rockingham (across the river Welland in Northants.). It is uncertain why Easton was accorded the affixes ~ Magna and Great ~ from the 17th cent. onwards since no Little Easton or Easton Parva is recorded hereabouts.

Note in the affixes MLat  iuxta 'next to', Lat  super 'above, on' and magna 'great'.