Welcome to Essex Place-names

The Essex Place-names database contains names of fields, roads, inns, houses, farms, manors, places, rivers, streams, woods, etc, and names of owners, tenants, landlords, parties to agreements etc, recorded from historic documents such as Tithe Awards, Rental Agreements, Surveys, Maps, Rolls, Inquisitions, Deeds, Charters.

The database is therefore of use to historians, genealogists, linguists, archaeologists and philologists. It is hoped its use will lead to identification and distribution of archaeolgical sites and historic buildings, will enable analysis of place-names as an indicator of early settlement, landholding and agricultural practices, will refine more precisely descriptive words and word-elements given by early settlers to topgraphical features, enable family historians to trace back owners and occupiers of land.

Volunteers (local societies, groups or individuals) are encouraged to record their parish to be added to the database. To ensure county-wide uniformity of recording, template forms (on paper or disc) are issued to Recorders by the Central Coordinating Committee (c/o Essex Record Office, Essex Place-names Project, Wharf Road, Chelmsford CM2 6YT). Full Guidelines, Help and Training Days are provided. Potential Volunteer Recorders are invited to inquire by letter to the ERO or via the Feedback Menu on this website which will be read by the Central Coordinating Committee periodically.

Parish Place-name booklets which contain in hard copy field- and other place- and personal names with additional information are available for purchase from the Essex Record Office book counter tel. 01245-244644

The Essex Place-names Project has been supported by Council for British Archaeology, Essex County Council, Essex Heritage Trust, Essex Society for Archaeology & History, 'Awards for All: Lottery Grants for Local Groups' and Friends of Historic Essex