Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Essex” come from?

Essex derives from Old English Seaxe, from Proto-Germanic sahsą and austrą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek- and aus-.

Ancestry of “Essex”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old EnglishEastseaxan—
2Old Englishēasteast; eastern
3Old Norseaustreast
4Proto-Germanicaustrąeast; east, eastward
5Proto-Germanicaustrazeast, eastern
6Proto-Indo-European*h₂éwsteros—

Words derived from “Essex”

  • Essexville
  • Essexian
  • essexite
  • essexitic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros →