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.

Runfold

Early-attested site in the Parish of Farnham

Historical Forms

  • hrunig fealles wæt 973–4 BCS1307 c.1150
  • Runifall(e) 1210,1248,1257 Rental
  • Runyjalle 1255 Ass
  • Ronifalle 1263 Ass
  • Runivall 1288 Rental
  • Ronivall 1307 ib
  • Runyvalle 1327 ib
  • Runfæll 1216 Rental
  • Runfalle 1218 Rental
  • Runnefall 1246 Rental
  • Runefall 1257,1267 Rental
  • Ronevall, Ronefalle 1279 Ass
  • Runevalle 1294 Ass
  • Ronevalle 1332 SR
  • Ronewelle 1269 FF 1279 Ass
  • Ronewalle 1351,1384,1398,1422 SR
  • Runvale 1502 Ct 1525 SR 1583 Musters
  • Runvale Hethe 1577 MinAcct
  • Renfold 1607 SrWills
  • Runfolde 1607 Norden
  • Runfull 1765 R 1816 O.S.

Etymology

The probable interpretation of this name was first suggested by Ritter (153). He notes the phrases on þone ealdan hrunan (BCS 955), which happens to be a Surrey charter, and on ceolling hrunan (BCS 1198), and postulates an OE  *hruna , cognate with OHG  rono , ModHG rohne , rahne , raune , 'uprooted tree- stem.' He interprets hrunig fealles wæt as standing for hrun (a )- gefealleswæd , i.e. 'ford belonging to the place where there has been a felling of trees.'