Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Flanshowe 1274,1307 WCR 1399 Pat

• Flanshou 1323 WCR

• Flansowe 1307 WCR

• Flanso 1570 WillY

• Flanshagh 1391 Tayl

• Flansawe 1497 Ipm 1525 WCR2d 1562 FF 1616 FF

• Flansawegrene 1525 WCR2d

• Flansaweloyne 1596 ADi

• Flanshaw 1610 Surv

• Flansall 1527 BM 1588 WillY 1624 PRHrb

• Flanshall Lane 1607 Surv

• Flancell 1656 Pick

Etymology

The first el. Flans - is from its form probably a pers.n. Flan with the ON gen.sg. -s ; this could be a byname from ON  flan 'a rushing about' which is the source of Scots  dial. flan 'a gust of wind' (NED s.v.), of Icel. flanni 'a giddy person', and perhaps the ON  byname Flana suggested for the Norw  p.n. Flanestad (NG ix, 41). But in view of the doubtful existence of such a name, it is preferable to accept Goodall's suggestion that it is the well-evidenced OIr  pers.n. Flann (from Ir  flann 'red'). 'Flan's mound or hill', v. haugr ; the hill is now Flanshaw Hill. The spellings in -all are inversions which could take place when original -all developed to -aw in the dialect; cf. also Ravenshowe 173infra for a similar substitution.