Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Witestan c. 1002 (11th) ASWills, Sawyer 1536

• Witestun c. 1002 (13th) Sawyer 1979 no. 29, Sawyer 1536, 1004 (11th) Sawyer 1979 no. 28, Sawyer 906

• Witestone 1086 DB

• Witestona 1116–33 Burton

• Wistona c.1176–84 StCart

• Wistun' 1206–30 ib

• Witston 1242 Fees 1261 PenkridgeInq

• Wiston' c.1255 RH 1260 FineR 1285 FA

• W(h)ystone 1291 Ipm 1255 FF

• Wyston' 1240 FF 1285 FA 1327,1332 SR 1546 AngleseyCh

• Whyston 1251 Ass 1313to1333 Banco 1313 FF 1545 1316 FA 1332 SR 1350 Blymhill 1548 Survey 1560 Ipm

• Whiston 1333to1479 Banco 1366–75 AngleseyCh 1408to1597 FF 1834 O

Etymology

'Witi's farmstead', v. tūn . *Witi would be a side-form of OE  Wita , as suggested by Ekwall (DEPN). The forms with -h - are so late that Hwīt as a pers.n. cannot be involved. The form in the 11th century copy of Wulfric Spot's Will (ASWills) is unsupported by the forms in two 13th copies of the same will, or by any other of the spellings quoted above.