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.

Styrrup

Major Settlement in the Parish of Styrrup

Historical Forms

  • Estirape 1086 DB
  • Stirap(e) 1197 P t.Ric1 Ch 1232 HMCVarvii c.1230 Fees 1235 FF 1387
  • Stirappe c.1160 DukRec t.John 1299 Blyth
  • Styrappe 1384 Cl
  • Stirop 1235,1242 Fees
  • Styrop 1276 Ipm 1517 Recov
  • Styrope 1310 Ipm
  • Styrhap 1280 Ass
  • Sterap(e) t.Ed1,1334 Welbeck 1355,1371 HMCVarvii
  • Stirrop 1325 Pat
  • Stirroppe 1638 FF
  • Sterapp 1414 BM
  • Steroppe 1434 Pat
  • Sterop 1488 NtIpm 1492 Ipm 1513 FF 1527 LP
  • Sturrup 1717 Recov

Etymology

The early forms of this name correspond exactly to those found for the common word stirrup (OE  stīgrāp ) and there can be little doubt that we have that very word in this place-name.It is now impossible to discover the exact reason for the name but it is probable that some feature of the ground, such as the hill immediately to the east of the village, suggested the outline of a stirrup to early settlers. Cf. the use of sadol , sædel in sadolhangra (BCS 1282), sædeles sceat (ib. 982), sædeles steort (ib. 1319), Saddlescombe (PN Sx 286), Saddle Stone (PN D 61), Saddlesborough (ib. 260), Saddle Tor (ib. 478) and possibly the use of yoke in Yokefleet (PN Ess 17), both in Essex and in Yorkshire.