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.

Tysoe

Major Settlement in the Parish of Tysoe, Upper, Middle and Lower

Historical Forms

  • Tiheshoche 1086 DB
  • Tiesoch t.Hy1 BM
  • Tiesho 1122 Ch 1314 Kenilworth t.Hy1 Pat t.Hy2 1478
  • Thieso, Tyeso 1183 BM
  • Tiveshou 1122–5 Stafford
  • Tysho 1185 Templars
  • Tisho 1189 Ch 1266 Pat 1549
  • Tisso 1200 P
  • Thissho 1227 Ass
  • Thishou 1234 Bracton
  • Tysseho 1262 Ass
  • Thiso 1327 Ipm
  • Tyssho 1428 FA 1459 Ch
  • Chyrchetisho 1299 Ass
  • Tysho Tempters 1327 SR
  • Temple Tysho 1327 Compton
  • Templetishew 1372 IpmR
  • Nethertyseho 1451 MinAcct
  • Nether Tysho al. Temple Tysho 1570 Recov
  • Nether Tyshoe al. Temple Tyshoe 1602 Compton
  • Temple Tyshoe al. Nether Tyshoe 1603 FF
  • Churche Tyshoe al. Nether Tyshoe 1606 Recov
  • Temple Teysoe 1633 FF
  • Tisoe al. Tyshoe 1654 Recov
  • Thyso sub Egge 1306 ib
  • Baronestiso 1343 ib
  • Overton, Churcheton, Temple Tisho 1529 Rental
  • Overtyso 1546 LP

Etymology

This name has been satisfactorily explained by Ekwall in Englische Studien (lxx, 55–7) where he shows that it contains the name of Tig , the OE god of war, and he interprets the name as 'Tig 's hill' (v. hoh ), yet another example of a hill- name associated with heathen worship (cf. Mawer, PN and History 29–30). This same god's name is also found in Tuesley (PN Sr 200). Ekwall notes that the correct forms for the OE  name are nom. Tig , gen. Tiwes and that the gen. Tiges , Ties must be an analogical form. It is interesting to observe that, unknown to him at the time, there is one early form Tiveshou which must go back to the more correct gen. form, which has of course survived in Tuesley. Overtyso or Overton is now Upper Tysoe, Churche Tysoe or Churcheton now Middle Tysoe, where is the church, and Temple Tyshoe or Nether Tyshoe is now Lower Tysoe. The Templars held land here in 1185 (Templars).