Hurcott
Early-attested site in the Parish of Kidderminster
Historical Forms
- Worcote 1086 DB
- Hurchcote Hy2 LyttCh
- Hurecote 1227 FF
- Holecote 1275 Ass
- Horecote, Horkote 1275 SR 1390 ADiii
- Harcote, Harcoote 1294 Ipm 1579 Wills
- Harpcote 1315 Ipm 1477 Pat
- Hurdecote 1545 LP
- Hurcott 1570 Wills
- Hutchcott 1652 FF
Etymology
It is clear that there has been corruption in some of the forms given here. Probably behind them all ultimately lies OE hierde-cot (u ), 'herdsmen-cottages.' The normal development of this, in this area, would be to ME hurdecote . The d would tend to be lost from the consonant group rdc and then confusion must have arisen with the various words beginning with Hor - (from har and horh ) and possibly also with names like Hardwick, from OE heordewic, cf. Hurcott (So), Hurdcote and Hurdcott Ho (W) which undoubtedly have the etymology suggested for this name.