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.

Cuckfield

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cuckfield

Historical Forms

  • Kukefeld t.Wm2 Lewes 1262 Ass
  • Cukefeld 1220 Seld1 1323 SAC43,52
  • Cukefeud 1288 FF
  • Kukufeld t.Wm2 Lewes
  • Cucufeld(a) 1114–22 SAC40,177 1121 AC
  • Cokefeld' 1232 Ch 1497 Ipm
  • Cokefeud 1279 QW
  • Cukfeld 1235 FF
  • Kuckefeld 1238 Pap
  • Cukkefeld 1339 Ipm
  • Cokkefeld 1272 RH
  • Cockfield 1642 MarL
  • Cocfeud 1279 Ass
  • Cookfield 1422 SAC43,54
  • Cookefeld 1590 Recov
  • Cowkfeld 1554 SAC43,57

Etymology

The early spellings Kuku -, Cucu - suggest that the first element may be simply the ordinary word cuckoo , not hitherto recorded before the 13th cent., hence 'cuckoo-haunted open land.'