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.

Rothersthorpe

Major Settlement in the Parish of Rothersthorpe

Historical Forms

  • Torp 1086 DB 1194 P
  • Trop 12th Survey 1235 Fees 1296 Ipm
  • Trop Advocati 1220 Fees
  • Throp 1226 WellsR
  • Retherestorp 1231 Ch 1387 Cl
  • Retheresthroup 1373 Cl
  • Rethirsthrope 1406 Inqaqd
  • Ritheresthorp 1242 Fees 1316 FA
  • Rithersthorpe 1346 FA
  • Rytherthorpe 1538 LP
  • Rutheristorp' 1247 Ass
  • Rotherestrop 1333 Cl
  • Reotherestrop 1359 Ipm
  • Rothersthrope 1456 ADii
  • Ruddistrip 1541 Statutes
  • Ruddisthrupp 1542 LP
  • Thrupp al. Rothers Thrupp 1675 Recov
  • Rothersthorp or Thorp 1702 Poll

Etymology

'The þorp of one Rethær .' Lindkvist (75) shows that here, as in Raisthorpe (Y), Rotherby (Lei), Rearsby (L), we have a Scand pers. name, OWScand  Hreiðarr , ODan  Rethær , OSw  Redhar .Later there seems to have been confusion with the common word rother , 'cattle,' from OE  hryðer. For late addition of the holder's name cf. Abthorpe supra 89. The short form of the name is still used locally and survives in Thrupp Osier Beds in Milton, while the bridge connecting Rothersthorpe and Wootton is similarly commonly called Thrupp Bridge. The 'advocatus' of Betton , i.e. Béthune (France), held the manor in 1194 (P).

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name