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.

Knapton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Acomb

Historical Forms

  • Cnapeton(e), Knapeton(e) 1086 DB 1157 YCh354 1244 YI 1270 Font 1282 Ch
  • Knappeton 1436 WillY
  • Cnapton, Knapton 1119–47 LeonN5 1244 Ass4 1258 MaryYii,4 1272 FF 1569 YkCR

Etymology

The first el. is probably OE  cnapa 'a young man, a servant' (ON  knapi 'a youth, low-ranking nobleman') or possibly the OE  pers.n. Cnapa (ON  Knapi )) cf. also Knapton Nf, YE 136, where there is similar ambiguity. v. tūn 'farmstead'.