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.

Guestling

Major Settlement in the Parish of Guestling

Historical Forms

  • Gestelinges 1086 DB 1281 Ch
  • Geslingis 12th ADiii
  • Geslinges c.1130 HMCiii.223 a.1176 FM 1281 Ch
  • Gestninges 1181 P
  • Grestling 1197 FF
  • Gestleng' 1205 Cur
  • Gestling(e), Gestlyng(e) 1220 FF 1535 VE
  • Gestlinges 1247 Ch 1271 FF
  • Gesteling 1281,1424 Add
  • Gistelyng 1362 IpmR
  • Gystelyng 1438 Cicestr
  • Gyslynge 1575 SRS3,106
  • Gessoling 1506 Pat
  • Geslyng 1509 LP
  • Geslinge 1591 MarL
  • Gestlyng al. Estlyng 1509 PardonRoll
  • Gestlinge al. Geslinge 1647 Recov

Etymology

It is probable that this name must be taken along with Gestingthorpe (Ess), for which we have forms Gyrstlingaþorp (BCS 1306) and Gristlyngþorp (Thorpe 569), Gestingethorp , Glestingethorp (DB) and then no further trace of the r . It cannot be an accident that there was an r in the earliest forms of Gestingthorpe (lost without further trace immediately after DB if not already then, for Glestingethorp may be simply an error for Gestlingethorp ) and that we have one early form for Guestling with an r .Both alike point to a pers. name Grystel , Gyrstel , originally of a nickname-type, related to OE  gristel and grost both found for 'gristle.' Hence, 'Grystel's people,' v. ing .