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.

Towton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Saxton

Historical Forms

  • Touetun, Toueton 1086 DB 1206 Cur 1207 FF 1259 Ass 1269 YI 1341 FF
  • Toneton (sic for Toueton) 1207 Abbr
  • Toveton 1208 DodsN 1339 BM
  • Towton 1379 PT 1540 TestLds 1641 Rates
  • Touton 1402 FA
  • Toughton 1486 Fabr

Etymology

'Tófi's farmstead', v. tūn . The ON  pers.n. Tófi (which occurs independently in English, cf. Feilitzen 384–5) is considered by Lind to be of OEScand origin (a loan from ODan  Tovi , OSwed  Tove ); it does not occur in OWScand  till the end of the tenth century; cf. Towhouses 182, Towthorpe YN 13, YE 134, Toton Nt 152.