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.

Smite Hill, Smite Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Hindlip

Historical Forms

  • æt Smitan 978 KCD618 11th
  • Smita Archiđ 1167 P
  • Smite 1271 Ipm 1275 SR

Etymology

The first reference is from the grant of a single hide at Smite.In the boundaries that follow we have the phrases to Smitan , of ðære Smitan which suggest that the place took its name from a stream. The same stream-name is found in Wanborough (W) in the Smitan of BCS 477, 479, in Olveston (Gl) in an unidentified Smita pull , BCS 936, in Smite (Wa), DBSmitham , on Smite Brook. There is also a stream of this name in Lei and Nt. In 1167 Godfrey the Archdeacon held half a hide here.

Places in the same Parish

Major Settlement

Early-attested site