Swafield
Major Settlement in the Parish of Swafield
Historical Forms
- Suaffelda, Suafelda, Suauelda 1086 DB
- Swadefeld c.1145 CAcre 1207(p),1257 Ass
- Suadefeld 1198 Cur 13 NfD 1206 AR c.1250 HMC
- Swadefeud 1250 Ass c.1250 HMC
- Suadfeld 1192–4 P
- Suathefeld 12 CAcre c.1150 Crawf 1199 Fees 1204,1205(p) P 1206 AR
- Swathefeld c.1200 Bromh 1206 AR 1236 Norvic 1237–51 Holme c.1250 HMC 1275 RH 1277to1366 FF 1288 NoLeet 1302,1346 FA 1306,1319,1361 Pat 1346 BM 1347 Fine 1348 Ipm
- Swathefeud 1234 NCReg 1257,1269,1286 Ass 1288 NoD
- Suathefeud 1254–75 Val
- Swathfeld 1191 FF 1316,1428 FA
- Swatfeld 1202 P
- Swafeld 1195 Cur 1204 RP 1208 P 1439 BM 1453 FF 1486 Pat 1518 AD
- Suafeld 1208 Mem
- Swaffelde 1535 VE
- Swauesfeld 1196 Cur
- Swathesfeud 1250 Ass
- Swaiefeud 1254 NfA
- Swayfield 1636 Mason
- Swayfilde 1650 NfA
Etymology
'Field through which there was a track', v. swæð , feld . Ekwall (DEPN s.n.) assumes that OE swæð was here used in a later sense 'a longitudinal division of a field', which is recorded from c. 1325 in OED s.v. swath . The loss of the dental fricative as well as the occasional vocalization of the l in the terminal, have been explained as due to AN influence (v. Zachrisson 82 ff., 146 ff.).