Havant
/ˈhævənt/noun
A town and borough in Hampshire, England, on the coast near Portsmouth.
Did you know?The earliest recorded form, “Hafunt,” appears in the tenth century, linking the place to Old English coastal vocabulary associated with a harbor or sheltered landing place.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*hafjaną
“to lift or raise; a possible distant root associated with the Germanic family behind “haven””
Old English
Old English
hæfen
“a harbor, haven, or sheltered anchorage”
Old English
Old English
tūn
“an enclosed place, farm, or settlement”
10th Century
Old English
Hafunt
“The earliest recorded form of the place-name”
11th Century
Latinized English
Havent
“The form recorded in the Domesday Book”
Modern English
English
Havant
“The modern name of the Hampshire town”