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.

Hempstead

Major Settlement in the Parish of Hempstead with Eccles

Historical Forms

  • Hemsteda 1086 DB
  • Hemested 1185 RotDom
  • Hemsted(e) 1212,1243 Fees 1219,1371 FF 1230 Cur 1257,1269,1286 Ass 1268 NoRec 1275 RH 1291 Tax 1305 NoD 1311 Banco 1329 Pat 1330 SR 1340 Cl 1340 Ipm
  • Hæmsted 1228 FF
  • Emstede 1254–75 Val
  • Hamstede 1230 Cur
  • Henested 1236 Fees
  • Hempsted(e) 1291 Tax 1302to1428 FA 1302to1432 FF 1303 Ch 1317 NoD 1328to1393 Pat 1341 Orig 1350 Cl 1364,1417 Fine 1384 DeedNRO 1535 VE

Etymology

This could be OE  hǣm-stede, a side-form of hām-stede developed through front-mutation when the second el. was styde (v. Sandred 1963: 88, 182; cf. DEPN s.n.). It is, however, possible that the first el. is OE  *hemm , a side-form of OE  hamm 'enclosure, meadow' (cf. OFris ham , hem ). For the intrusive p between m and s , v. Jordan § 210.