Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Gravenhou, Gravenhowe a.1279 SheffMisc 13,1329 Hlm 1410 Pat

• le Grenow 1277 Cust

• Greno' 1587 Norf

• Granehow 1332 Ipm 1385 SheffMan

• Granow(e) 1430 SheffMan 1442 Comp 1451 FA 1460 Pat

• Greenowe 1587,1622 SheffMan 1611 FF

Etymology

There can be no doubt that the name refers to the prominent hill above Greno Wood (Greno Knoll is 102–324955) (v. haugr or hōh ); ON  haugr can denote a natural eminence as well as a mound; there is no trace of a mound remaining on the knoll. The first el. can hardly be OE  grǣfan , gen.sg. of grǣfe 'a copse' or grafa 'a trench', for in YW the gen.sg. in -an would not be retained in ME. It is therefore more likely to be OE  græfen , pa.part. of grafan 'to dig, excavate', or an unrecorded noun græfen formed from grafan (v. -en 1 § (v)) meaning something like 'excavation, quarry'. Greno would denote 'excavated hill' or 'quarry hill'; there are old quarries on the top of the hill and at Grenoside. The modern form has been influenced by green . Cf. also Gravenhay ii, 271infra .