Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cevet, Ceuet 1086 DB

• Chiuet, Chyuet, Chivet 1153–60 Nost14 1177–1200 YCh 1714,1190–1200 Bodl99 13 YDvii c.1210 Pont 1230 1230–40 Bodl100 1233 BM 1240–50 Bodl101 1243 Fees 1251 Ass 1252 1298 WCR 1317 YDviii

• Chyuit 13 YDvii

• Chyveth Hy3 BM

• Chyued 1377 YDviii

• Chivot 1233 Ebor 1360 Brett

• Schiuet, Schyuet 13 YDvii 1297 LS

• Chevet, Cheuet 1244 YI 1305 DodsN 1316 Vill 1318 YDviii 1342 FF 1363 DodsN

• Cheuete 1353 YDviii

• Chevett 1534 FF

• Chewet 13,1332 YDvii 1379 PT

• Chift(e) 1291 Tax 1348 YDviii

• Cheft 1322 ib

• Chieft 1328 WCR

• Chyffte, Cheyfft 1367 YDviii

• Chyeft 1382 ib

• Chete 1377 YDviii 1402 FA 1404 WillY 1424 YDviii 1573 YDvii

• Chet 1408 YDvii 1467 ib

• Chett 1530 Visit 1540 FF

• Cheytt 1529 YDviii

• Cheite 1547 1547 ib

• Cheet(e) 1530 DodsN 1599 FF 1641 Rates 1658 Pick

• Cheet als. Chivet als. Chevet 1616 FF

• Chytt 1564 Visit

• Chivit 1709 WMB

Etymology

Apart from the DB spellings (which appear to have e by AN influence), all the early spellings down to the thirteenth century point to an early ME  Chivet , and the somewhat later Chevet forms probably represent the later ME lengthening of short i to ē in the open syllable; this form Chēvet was reduced to Chete , Cheet ; the two spellings with initial Sch - for Ch - are AN (cf. IPN 113), whilst Chewet has -w - for medial -v -, as in words like newt from OE  efete . The spellings Chifte , etc., have a reduced form of the suffix, whilst the latest spellings Chytt , Chivit reflect the final raising of ME ē to ī in the modern period (cf. Phonol. § 17). The phonological history of the name therefore suggests that the later OE  etymon was Cifet (Cyfet must be excluded because the palatalised Ch - would not have occurred before the original back-vowel implied by the i - mutated y ). The name may be connected with Cheviot (Nb 44), but the latter has a different suffix, as shown by such spellings as Chiuet 1181 P, Chyvietismores 1244 Ch, Chivyet 1251 Cl, etc.; an unidentified place in Bury (La), Langschevet 13 Brett, would appear to be identical with Chevet.

There is no village of Chevet, but the dominating feature of the local landscape is the long broad ridge on which Chevet Hall stands.Goodall connects the name with Welsh  cefn 'back, ridge' (cf. Chevin (Otley) pt. iv infra ), presumably with a root *kemn - and the suffix -et which occurs in certain Brit r.ns. and p.ns. like Kennet Brk, Dent pt. iv infra , etc. Whilst this is likely enough topographically, we should have to assume, not only the lenition of -m - to -v - (which is probable in YW), but also the OWelsh raising of Brit e to i before the nasal as in OW  Dimet from Brit  *Demet - (cf. Jackson 278), and that Brit  cemēt - is a possible reduction of cemnēt . The name would mean something like 'the ridge'.