Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Rilestun(e) 1086 DB c.1130 Yorke

• Rilistun(e) 1086 DB

• Rilleston(a), Rylleston(a) 1135-54,1156-1277 YChvii 1166,1167 P 1200-30,1237 Furn 1257 Ch 1262 Font 1574 Comm

• Rylleston(a) in Craven(e) 1349 YDvi 1500 Ipm

• Rilliston(e) 1295 YI 1354 Furn 1403 Pat

• Rilston(e) 1285 KI 1293 YI 1428 FA

• Rilston(e) in Craven 1524 Testv

• Relstone 1552 WillY

Etymology

The first el. of this p.n. is obscure. It may be a pers.n. but no such pers.n. as Rille or Rylle is known, though one could postulate such a pers.n. or byname from ON  hrollr 'shivering from cold', hrolla 'to shiver, shudder'. It would seem therefore that the first el. is an appellative. Moorman suggested a connexion with e.ModE  rill 'rill, small stream' (LG  rille ) and Ekwall derives it from OE  rynel 'brook' (with regular assimilation of -nl - to -ll -, cf. Phonol. § 52). There was also a Norw  r.n. Rylla (in Rynes , Rylledalen NE 202, NG ii, 387) connected with ON  hrollr 'shivering', which might be the basis of a river-name.