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.

Coventry

Major Settlement in the Parish of Coventry

Historical Forms

  • Couentre 1043 KCD916 17th ADiii 1341
  • Coventria c.1045 KCD939 17th P 1158
  • Coventreu 1086 DB
  • Coventreia c.1160 BM
  • Coventrie 1159 P
  • (æt) Couæntree c.1050 BM
  • Cofentreo 1057 ASC c.1060
  • Cofantreo 1053 ASC c.1060
  • Cofentreium c.1070 BM
  • Couintre(a) 1151 BM 1167,1178,1182,1195 P 1442 ADiii
  • Couintria 1158 P
  • Coventry c.1235 ADiv 1254 Ipm 1329,1373 ADiii
  • Covintry 1249 ADiii
  • Kovintre 1274 ib
  • Covingtre 1278 RH
  • Covyngtre 1421 Pat
  • Coventrey 1599 ADvi

Etymology

'Cofa 's tree,' cf. Covington (PN BedsHu 238) and Cobham (PN Sr 87).