Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bradeston 1324 Ct

• Soothe and Nootherne Breston 1582 WeyR

• Eastmost Breston, Souther Breston, Easter Bresson, Souther Bresson, Bresson, Briston field 1608 LRMB

• (South of) Breston 1839 TA

Etymology

, Bradeston 1324Ct , Soothe and Nootherne Breston 1582 WeyR,Eastmost Breston , Souther Breston , Easter Bresson , Souther Bresson , Bresson , Briston field 1608LRMB , (South of ) Breston 1839TA ; if the 14th cent , form belongs here this is from brād ( wk . obl . brādan ) ' broad ' and stān ' stone ' , possibly used in the sense ' stone quarry ' , cf. Longstone OpeQuarries infra , with sūð , norðerne , ēastmest , ēasterra and sūðerra ; the development to e in the first el . is paralleled in BreadstoneGl 2214 which has e - spellings from 1561 ( cf. also Bledington Gl 1213 ) , v. also the f.n. Castles infra for a 14th cent. Brede - spelling possibly from brād .