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.

Gowthorpe

Early-attested site in the Parish of Selby

Historical Forms

  • (regia strata de) Goukethorp 12,13 Selby
  • Goucthorp' 13 Selby
  • Gouththorp 1475 MiscEngl
  • Gouthorp(e) 13,1254 Selby 1340 Ass5 1343 Selby 1377 AddCh 1519 MiscEngl
  • Gowthorpe 1531 AddCh
  • Gowthropp 1681 SelbyW

Etymology

Gowthorpe is 'Gauk's þorp or outlying farmstead', from the ON  pers.n. Gaukr . There was a Johannes Gouk ' who had formerly owned a toft near Gowthorpe (Selby i, 192), and the farm may have been named from him. Cf. also Gawthorpe Hall ii, 102supra .