Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Campthorp' 1234–39 Foster

• Campthorpp' 1338 Monson

• Camthorp 1236 Cl

• Camthorp iuxta thorneton 1517 Monson

• Camthorpe juxta thorneton' 1518 ib

• Camthorpbek' 1280–85 Foster

• Camthorpbeck' 1299 ib

• Camthorpebeke, Camthorpebeck c.1570 Monson

• Cauthorp' 14 Monson

• Cauthorp 1559,1581,1606,1664 ib

• Cauthorpe 1598,1602,1606,1609,1626,1647,1655,1660 ib

• Cauthrope 1650 Inv

• Cauthropp 1662 Foster

• Cauthrop furres 1601 Terrier

• Cauthorppe Bekke 1498 Monson

• Cauthorpebecke 1578 AD

• Cawtrop a1567 LNQv

• Cawthorpe 1594–96 MinAcct

• Couthorp 1664 Monson

• Canthorp 1715 BT

• Canthorpe 1763 Foster

• Canthorp Close 1839 TA

• Canthorpe Field 1846 Dixon

Etymology

Cauthorp '14Monson , Cauthorp 1559, 1581, 1606, 1664ib , Cauthorpe 1598, 1602, 1606, 1609, 1626, 1647, 1655, 1660ib , Cauthrope 1650Inv , Cauthropp 1662Foster , Cauthrop furres 1601Terrier (v . furh in the pl.)

There seems little doubt that these forms all refer to the same place, but they are so varied as to make an explanation of the first el. difficult in the extreme. It seems that spellings in Cau - are regular from the late 15th till the 17th century, after which the -u - has been changed to -n -. It is, in fact, impossible to be sure that this statement is correct for -u - and -n - are very frequently almost indistinguishable, though the two spellings in Caw - seem to support such a conclusion. All that can be said for certain is that the second el. is þorp 'an outlying, dependent settlement', presumably from Thornton le Moor, v. further DB lxxxvi.