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.

Grittleton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Grittleton

Historical Forms

  • Grutelington(e) 940 BCS750 15th Fees 1242
  • Grutelinton(e) 1236 FF
  • Grutelyngton(e) 1289 Ass 1341 NI
  • Grutelington(e) 1354 AddCh
  • Grutlyngton 1327 Pat 1360 FF
  • Grutlyngton alias Gritleton 1601 Recov
  • Gretelintone 1086 DB
  • Gretelinton 1186 P 1216 ClR 1268 Ass 1291 Tax
  • Gretelington 1186,1197 P 1268 Ass 1269 FF
  • Gretelintona 1189 GlastInq
  • Gretelinctona 1235–61 GlastRl
  • Gretylinton 1249 Ass
  • Gretelingeton 1267 Abbr
  • Gridelington 1241 FF
  • Gritelington 1279 Ass
  • Gritelyngton 1330 Ch
  • Gritelinton 1300 Pap
  • Grittelynton 1308 Cl
  • Grittellyngton 1321 Pat 1327 SR
  • Gritlington 1641 Sadler
  • Gratelington 1316 FA
  • Gritilton 1337 Pat
  • Grittleton al. Grittlington 1687 Recov
  • Gretleton t.Eliz WMxxi

Etymology

This is a difficult name. Ekwall (DEPN) suggests that the first element is either OE  grēot -hlinc , 'gravel-hill,' or Grēotlingas , 'dwellers in a (lost) place called Grēotlēah .' A compound of grēot is possible in relation to the soil, but the assumption of a lost place-name is difficult and both suggestions are open to the objection that the great majority of the early forms point to a first element Gruteling -, Greteling -, rather than Grutling -, Gretling -.More probably we must look to an English personal name *Grytel , cognate with the Germanic personal name Grutilo . Cf. Schönfeld 114 and Naumann 41. Hence 'Grytel 's farm,' v. ingtun .

Places in the same Parish