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.

Littleton

Early-attested site in the Parish of Artington

Historical Forms

  • Litelton(e) 1086 DB 1285 Ch
  • Lytelton c.1170 Loseley
  • Litleton(e) 1219 FF 1225,1263,1272,1285 Ass
  • Littelton 1303 Ass
  • Litelton juxta Guldeford 1395 FF
  • Litlington 1205 FF
  • Litlinton 1206 Cur 1225 Ass
  • Litlenton 1304 Ass
  • Luttyltone 1404 Penshurst

Etymology

The latter group of forms suggests 'Lytel (a )'s farm,' v. ingtun , rather than 'little farm'; cf. Littleton (Mx). But Litlin (g ) may be a corruption of Littlen - from OE  (æt þæm ) lytelan tūne , or we may have late intrusion of ing as in Westingstret supra 169.