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.

Royston

Major Settlement in the Parish of Royston

Historical Forms

  • Rorestun(e), Roreston(e) 1086 DB 1154 Brett 1155–9 YCh 1159–71 1161 Pont 1172–81 YCh 1200,e.13 Brett 13 YDx 1233 BM 1300 Ebor 1366 YDi 1428 FA
  • Roriston 1186 Brett 13 YDvii
  • Roston 1268 Ebor 1316 Vill 1334 FF 1342,1349 Brett 1357 YDi 1363 FF 1379 PT 1466 YDiii
  • Ruston 1409 DiocV 1422 YDvii 1435 Brett 1531 Testiv
  • Roiston(e), Royston(e) 1411 Brett 1417 YDiii 1552 WillY 1557 FF 1579 Dep 1662 PRThl
  • Ruyston 1539,1565 FF
  • Roustone 1579 Dep
  • Roistone als. Rowestone 1608 FF

Etymology

Royston has been derived, like Ruston YE 94, from the ON  pers.n. Hróarr (Goodall, Moorman s.n.); this assumes the simplification of Hróarr to Rōr -, as in late OE  Rold (BCS 1052, DB) from ON  Hróaldr ; since, however, the latter pers.n. usually appears in ME  as Roald (cf. Björkman, NP 69, ZEN 69) and Hróarr might therefore be presumed to become Roar , Royston and Ruston should be derived from an OE  Hrōr (from hrōr 'active, strong') which Ekwall proposes also for Rorrington Sa. On the later dial. form Royston cf. Phonol. § 28. 'Hrōr's farmstead', v. tūn .

Places in the same Parish

Other OS name

Early-attested site