Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Rofellinton(e) 1086 DB

• Rothf'linton 1205 OblR

• Roudferlington 1181–90 YCh515

• Rudferlington 1207 ClR

• Rufferlington, Rufferlyngton 1343 YDx 1546 FF

• Ruffarlington 1596 FF

• Roughfarlington 1630 KnaresW 1770 EnclA

Etymology

This difficult name may contain as its first el. an OE  Rūh -fyrdling , -fordling 'a man from Rufforth (iv, 232supra )' (cf. EPN i, 300 for the formation) with tūn 'farmstead', but the forms are ambiguous. The only alternative that can be suggested is an ON  byname Rúða -fari 'one who has travelled to Rouen', but the -l - would not easily be accounted for, unless the second theme is an OE  līn -tūn 'flax-farm' (distinguished from Linton 29supra by the affix Rúða -fari ).