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.

Murgatroyd

Early-attested site in the Parish of Halifax

Historical Forms

  • Mergretrode 1379 PT
  • Murgaitroid 1492 MinAcct
  • Murgat(e)royd(s) 1573 Ct 1620 Briggs
  • Murgat(e)royd(s) als. The Hollins 1709 WMB

Etymology

Murgatroyd (lost), Mergretrode 1379 PT (p), Murgaitroid 1492MinAcct , Murgat (e )royd (s )1573 Ct, 1620Briggs 1, Murgat (e )royd (s )als. The Hollins 1709 WMB, cf. also le Moregatehirst 1331 WCR. The first spelling suggests the ME  pers.n. Mergret , Margaret with rod 1 'clearing', cf. Murgatshaw 197infra . The pers.n. is often reduced to Marget , Merget in late ME, and here it has been confused with 'moor-gate'.The p.n. has now been replaced by The Hollins (supra ), but it survives as the local surname Murgatroyd .

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name

Major Settlement