(English) belonging to Worston [Old English tún, farm, estate] Worston, Staffs, acc. to Duignan’s ‘Staff Place-Names,’ occurs in the 13th-14th cent. as Worflestone, Wiveleston, Wyver- stone, Wyfridestone. The forms are conflicting, but the last two point to the genit. of the common Anglo-Saxon pers. name Wígfrið [wíg, war + frið, truce]. The final -e in three of the forms quoted is prob. unoriginal, as it has not persisted in the mod. name and in view of the absence of confirmatory topog. evidence; otherwise the local elem. would represent Old English stán, ‘stone,’ ‘stone monument,’ 'castle.’ Worston, Lancs, has also contradictory mediaeval forms—13th cent. Wortheston, Worchestone, Wurchestun, Wrthiston, Wrdes- ton (1241-2); but the last (the earliest) is prob. to be trusted, pointing to the genit. of an Anglo-Saxon pers. name W(e)orð [= worthy, honourable, beloved].