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.

Grunty Fen

Major Settlement in the Parish of Grunty Fen

Historical Forms

  • Gruntifen(n), Gruntyfen(n) 1221 ElyA 1558 et freq
  • Grontefenfelde 1532 Peterhouse
  • Grauntye Fenne 1618 SewersA
  • Gruntyngfen(felde) 1370–1440 Peterhouse
  • Gruntyngfurlonge 1488 CaiCh
  • le Gruntyngmede 1432 Peterhouse
  • Grundefen 1604 Atkyns

Etymology

We have probably to do with a first element grunting , but its history and meaning are obscure. The Teutonic stem *grunþo has given rise to ON  grunnr , gruðr , 'shallow, bottom,' Sw  grund , and the stem *grundu-s has given OE grund , 'ground,' grunting is perhaps allied to these and may denote a shallow place. It has been suggested that grunþ goes back to grumþ and is related to Norw  grumen , 'muddy,' hence 'muddy shallow,' v. ing .

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site