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.

Beckwith, Beckwithshaw

Early-attested site in the Parish of Pannal

Historical Forms

  • bec wudu c.972 BCS1278 11
  • Becvi 1086 DB
  • Beck(e)with, Beck(e)wyth 1301 YI 1581 WillY 1617 Comm
  • Bekwith, Bekwyth 1386 MinAcct 1379 PT 1409 MinAcct
  • Bekewith 1523,1526 TestLds
  • Bekwithshagh 1323 Ipm
  • Be(c)kwithshaw(e) 1511 KnaresWill 1573 FF

Etymology

Originally an English p.n. 'beech wood' (v. bēce 2 , wudu ), but much influenced by Scandinavian in the substitution of ON  -k - for -ch - (or of bekkr 'stream' for bēce ) and of ON  viðr 'wood' for wudu ; cf. Introd. v . sceaga 'copse'.