Allerston
Major Settlement in the Parish of Allerston
Historical Forms
- Alurestan, Alurestain, Aluristan 1086 DB
- Alvestain, Alvestein 1154–74 YCh 1160 Riev 1167 P 1227 FF 1233 Cl
- Al(l)verstain, Al(l)verstayn, Al(l)versteyn, Al(l)verstein 1086 DB c.1190–1214 YCh 1335 ForP
- Alverstan(e) 1219 Ass 1335 ForP
- Auverstan 1259 Ass
- Alvestane 1322 NRS
- Aluestune 1086 DB
- Alveston, Alvestun 1160 Riev 1218 FF
- Allerstane 1285 KI 1408 For
- Alistan 1316 Vill
- Allestan 1329 Ch
- Allerston, Allarston 1518 FF 1577 NRS 1665 Visit
- Ollerston 1577 Saxton
Etymology
The original form of the name seems to have been OE Ælfheresstān 'Ælfhere's stone' v. stan . Forms like Alve - (with loss of -r -) may represent a pet form Ælf or a substitution of ON Alfr (LindN).
The second element fluctuates between OE stan and ON steinn. OE tun in the second element appears to be of early origin. The best explanation of this is to suppose that at an early date a farmstead was built in the neighbourhood of the stan and Ælfhere's name was applied to it also. v. tun .