Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Grimestone 1086 DB 1166 RBE Hy2 Dugd 1273 Banco

• Grimestona c.1130 LeicSurv

• Grimeston c.1130 1169 P 1295 Deed 13 MiD 1311 Banco

• Grimmeston(e) 1166 LN 1276 RH

• Grimestun Hy2 Berkeley

• Grimistun Hy2 ib

• Grymeston 1273,1277 Banco 1426 1429 Fine 1472 Hastings 1559 Ipm

• Grimston Hy3 Crox 1522 Deed 1524 CoPleas 1610 Speed

• Grymston(e) 1326 Ipm 1332 Pat 1453 RTemple 1464 Ct 1541 MinAccts 1553 Pat 1576 Saxton

• Grymson 1537 MinAccts 1537 BM 1601,1602 Terrier

• Grimson c.1570 Rental 1601 Terrier

Etymology

'Grīm's farmstead, village', v. tūn . The ODan  pers.n. Grīm (ON  Grímr ) is an original by-name that was often used of the god Óðinn in disguise (cf. OIcel gríma 'a mask'). The name was common in Norway and Iceland throughout the medieval period and was also frequent in Sweden and Denmark. The Anglo-Saxons used Grīm in the same way as a by-name for their god Wōden , a name which entered the OE pers.n. stock (v. Searle 268); but the Scand name is much more likely here. Note the 16th and 17th century forms in -son which show typical Leics. loss of t in the group -ston .