Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Fretone c.1100,1101–7,c.1200 Holme 1237–51(p),1248 Holme

• Fretona 1153–68 ib

• Frithetuna, Fridetuna, Fredetuna 1086 DB

• Freton 1199 FF

• Fretonemouth(e) 1340 Holme 1340 Inq

• Fretenemuth 1341 Holme

• Freconiemuth 1341 Cl

• Fretenemouth 1364 Holme

• Fretenhammouth 1364 ib

Etymology

Fritton (hamlet), Fretone c. 1100, 1101–7, c. 1200 Holme, 1237–51(p), 1248Holme , Fretona 1153–68(p)ib . The first el. may be ME  frithe , frethe , metathesized forms of OE  fyrhð(e), ferhðe 'wood' (v. Löfvenberg 72) or, alternatively, OE  frið 'protection'. In the latter case the name would be a parallel to Fritton, Depwade Hundred, which is Frithetuna , Fridetuna , Fredetuna 1086 DB and Freton 1199 FF, which Ekwall suggests goes back to OE  friþ (u )-tūn 'enclosed place, fenced-in tūn'. Fritton in Ludham is found in the lost river-name Fretonemouth (e )1340Holme , 1340 Inq, Fretenemuth 1341Holme , Freconiemuth 1341 Cl, Fretenemouth 1364Holme , Fretenhammouth 1364ib . The latter component of this name would seem to be OE  ēa and mūða , *ēa -mūða 'mouth of a river', referring to a lost stream which flowed into the Thurne near Fritton.