Dauntsey
Major Settlement in the Parish of Dauntsey
Historical Forms
- Dometesig 850 BCS457 14th KCD817 1065 14th
- (at) Domeccesige 854 BCS470 14th
- Daunteseye, Dameteseye 850 14th ib
- Dantesie 1086 DB 1160 RBE
- Dantesia 1164,1166 P
- Danteseia 1166 RBE
- Dantesi 1178 BM 1198 P
- Danteseye 1257 FF 1312 Cl
- Dauntesa t.Hy2 Ch 1270
- Dauntesi 1220 ADiv
- Dauntes (h)eye 1268 Ass 1303 Sarum 1316 FA
- Doundsee al. Daundesey 1407 Pat
- Daundeseye 1416 Cl
- Daunsey 1516 Recov
- Dancy 1655 ParReg(Brinkworth)
Etymology
The second element in this name is OE eg, ieg, 'island, well- watered land.' Ekwall (DEPN s. n .) suggests that the first may be a lost OE personal name Dōmgeat . The development of o to a has its parallel in the forms of Damerham infra 400, with more persistent early o -forms. Professor Ekwall points out that the a -forms are due to early shortening of ō to o , with substitution of [ǫ ] for [o ] as in Brampton (DEPN) from brōm and Frampton (ib.) from the river Frome. It should be noted that the same first element is found in Dauntesbourne (BCS 752) in the bounds of the adjacent parish of Christian Malford. The stream is now known simply as The Bourne (supra 2).