Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Nacefeld 1086 DB

• Nezfeld 1199 YDv

• Necefeld 13 YDv

• Nescefeld(e) 12 YDx 1194,1203 YChvii,x 1281 Ch 1303 KF 1314 YDiv

• Nescefeud 1246 Ass44

• Nessefeld(e) 13 YDv 1271 YI 1379 PT

• Nethesfeld, Nest(h)esfeld 1212,1213 FF

• Nest(e)feld 1293 QW

• Nest(e)feild 1689 PRIlk

• Nesfeld(e) 1324 YDv,vi 1407 YI 1443 YDiv 1593 FF

• Nesfeld(e) in Qwhorfdale 1412 YDx

• Great Nesfeild(e), Litle Nesfeild(e) 1587 YDvi

Etymology

The ME  spellings -ce -, -sce -, -z - normally represent the sound -ts - (cf. EPN ii, 92 s.v. -s2 ). The first el. is therefore either a form of OE  nēates , gen.sg. of nēat 'cattle' (with the ON gen.sg. -s replacing OE  -es ), as Ekwall suggests, or it is ON  nezti 'lowest' (doubtless replacing OE  niðemest 'lowest'). The latter seems preferable.'Lowest stretch of open country', v. feld .