Hickleton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Hickleton
Historical Forms
- Icheltone, Chicheltone 1086 DB
- Hikalton 1164–81 BM
- Hikilton, Hykilton, Hykylton, -tun 12 Brett 1246 Ass38d 1285 KI 1297 LS 1519 FF
- Hickyllton 1566 WillY
- Hikelton(a), Hykelton(a) 1200 Cur 1201 FF 1219 Ass4 1231 FF 1238 Pont 1246 Brett 1503 YDvii
- Hiketon' 1201 Cur
- Ykelton 1291 Tax
- Hekilton, Hekylton 1304 YI 1379 PT 1414 YI 1531 Testiv
- Hikleton 1409 DiocV
- Hickleton 1587 NCWills
Etymology
In view of the complete absence of any early spellings indicating a gen.sg. it would be preferable to take Hickleton as 'woodpecker farm' from OE hicol and tūn. There are a few parallels to tūn being combined with bird-names, as in Laverton Gl, So (from lǣwerce 'lark') or Thrushelton D 210 (from þryscele 'thrush'). At the same time p.ns. with an uninflected gen. of the pers.n. can also be paralleled (cf. Bishopton (Ripon) pt. v infra and v. EPN i, 158 -es), and if this is such a case the first el. could be an OE pers.n. Hicel which is presumed to have existed on ample evidence in p.ns. like OE Hiceles wyrþe BCS 27, Hickling Nt 235, Nf, etc. (cf. Ekwall, PN -ing 90).