Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Crabbetts 1504 SAC12

• Crabbett, Crabbet 1701 MarC

• Crabbewyke 1296 SR

• Crabedene 1254 FF

Etymology

Crabbet Park is Crabbetts 1504 (SAC 12), Crabbett , Crabbet 1701 (MarC), and must have been the home of John de Crabbewyke (1296 SR). The first element here would seem to be the same as in Crabeton (D), Crabbeton in 1306 (Ass ). We have no evidence for the early use of OE  crabba , 'crab,' as a pers. name.We should look rather to the common word crab , used of the wild apple. This is first recorded in the 15th cent, crabbe (NED s. v .) but the origin of the word is obscure and it may be far older. Other place-names containing the same element are Crabble (K), 1227 Ch Crabbehole , Crabwall (Ch), c. 1273 St Werb. Crabbewalle , an unidentified Crabedene (1254FF ) in Hants and Crabbelonde and Crabbefurlong in Elton (Ch), c. 1300 St Werb. If so, the name means 'farm (v. wic) where crab- apples grow.' For interchange of final k and t , cf. Collett, PN Bk 141.