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.

Whitwood

Early-attested site in the Parish of Featherstone

Historical Forms

  • Witeuude, Witewde 1086 DB
  • Witewde c.1090,1135–40,c.1160,1240 Pont
  • Witewodam, Wytewodam, Wytewod(e) 1122 Pont c.1143 Nost101d 1281 Ebor 1297 LS
  • Wytewud Hy2 Ch 1230
  • Wytwode 1363 YDvii
  • Withewdam, Withew(o)de 1136–40 YCh 1154–8 1189 ib
  • Wittewude 1196 P
  • Whitew(u)d(e), Whytew(u)d(e), Whytewode 1211 P 1230 Ebor 14 Nost124d 1301 Ch 1303 DodsN 1344 Ass28d 1497 FF
  • Whytewood 1230 Pont 1316 Vill 1588 FF
  • Qwittewode 1337 YDx
  • Whittewood 1364 MethMR

Etymology

'The white bright wood', v. hwīt , wudu . The sense is probably that of thinly growing, and therefore bright, woodland.