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Re: Holness
Holness is thought to be from the lost placename Holmherst in Smarden (Kent), from Old English holegn ‘holly’ and hyrst ‘hillock, copse’.
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I always assumed it derived from the East Yorkshire district of Holderness.
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Seems like that's also a possibility according to the information at tinyurl.com/yjtno9y4.
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Thanks for the link.
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