A History of the Name Kettlebaston

The first recorded name of the village was Saxon - Cytelbearn/Cytelbarn (AD 963) - which translated means Cytel's son's farm or land (Cytel was a proper name - Barn meaning a child).

After the invasion by the Danes in the early 11th century the Scandinavian influence altered the anme to Ketilbjorn which roughly retained the original meaning (Ketil the Norse equivalent of Cutel, also tranlsating as 'a noble man' - Bjorn/Bjoor translating as 'flat land or plateua' ossible relating to the llevel area between the rivers in what is now known as The Vale of Brett). Throughout the ensuing years the name fluctuated between the Scandinavian influence, a return to the Saxon origin and then back to the Norse name after the Norman conquest.

Recorded examples were as follows:

AD963 Cytelbearn Cytelbarn

AD1095 KitelbjornKitelbeornastuna

AD1113 Chethelbernestun

1208 Ketelberneston

Other recorded names - though the dates are not fully known

Ketelbarn

Cutelberston

Kettilbasrston

(details derived from records held at the Ipswich Archtivist's Offce)

Kettlebaston is described in the Domesday survey of 1086 as a manor held by St Edmunds, although 'others hold there.'