Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Acuurde, Aceuurde 1086 DB

• Hacwrda 1119–35 Nost7d

• Hachewrda 1119–47 ib

• Hackewrthe, Hackewrtha 1119–29 c.1130–40 YCh1488 1215

• Hachaworda, Hachawrtha 1121–7 Nost130 1189 ib

• Hakeword', Hakewurda 1190–1193 P

• Akeworth, Akew(u)rth 1201 Cur 1240 Ebor 1291 Tax 1428 FA

• Ackew(o)rth(e) 1227 Nost6 1296 1307 Pat 1366 YDi 1369 FF 1379 PT 1551 YDviii

• Akkeword 1302 Ebor

• Akeswrthe 1286 Ebor

• Acworght 14 Sawl194

• Akword 1300 Ebor

• Acworth(e), Akworth(e) 1316 Vill 1341 Surv 1368 MinAcct 1402 Pat 1638 BM

• Aickworth 1619 DodsN

• Ackworth 1771 M

Etymology

Apart from the 1190–1193 P spellings and that in 1215 ChR, all the early forms with initial H - are from a single manuscript (Nost ), and too much stress need not be laid upon them. There is ample evidence for inorganic H - in the early ME forms of YW p.ns. (such as Adwick i, 79supra , Addingham pt. vi, Ainsty pt. iv, Aismonderby (Ripon) pt. v, Ilkley pt. iv, etc., infra ), but none occurs for the loss of OE initial h -. Ackworth, therefore, is 'Acca's enclosure', from the well-evidenced OE  pers.n. Acca , and worð . The early spellings with -ck - favour this rather than OE  āc 'oak-tree', which occurs in Oakworth pt. vi infra .