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.

Staffordshire

Volume edited by : J. Oakden 1984

Historical Forms

  • Stæffordscir 1016 ASC
  • Stæffordscire 1062–6 ASWrits 11th Sawyer1140 1093 Thorpe2
  • Stadfordscire, Statfordscire 1086 DB
  • Statfordscira 1130 P
  • Staffordiescira 1153 StCart
  • Staffortscira 1156 P
  • Staffordscira 1154to1203 P 1166 RBE
  • Stafford’ 1199 Cur
  • Staffordia 1297 CoramR
  • Staffordiae comes c.1350 Trevisa

Etymology

'the shire of the town of Stafford', v. scir 1 . For Stafford itself, which we may interpret as 'the ford by a landing-place', v. stæð , ford . A full discussion will be found in a later volume.

Divisions in this County