Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Swatha 1180–1200 YCh1691

• Swathe 13 Brett c.1258 Hntii,283 14 Brett 1588 FF 1642 Edmunds

• Swath 1368 1379 PT 1647 YDr

• Swayth 1542 FF 1607 Edmunds

• Nether Swaithe 1550 WillY

Etymology

Swaithe, Swatha 1180–1200 YCh 1691, Swathe 13 Brett, c. 1258 Hnt ii, 283, 14 Brett, 1588 FF, 1642 Edmunds, Swath 1368 ib (p), 1379 PT (p)et freq to 1647 YDr, Swayth 1542 FF, 1607 Edmunds, Nether Swaithe 1550 WillY. Formally this could be from OE  swæð, swaðu 'track, pathway', ME  swathe 'strip of grassland', but it could also be from ON  svað 'a slippery place', used in Norw p.ns. particularly of 'land laid bare of earth', 'rocky ground where the surface has been carried away by landslide' (cf. NGIndl 80, NG i, 117).There is a very steep declivity in and about Swaithe Wood, where some such event could have happened.