tompt (OSw) toft (ODan) tóft (ON) tuft (ON) toft (OSw) tomt (OSw) topt (OSw) noun

Tompt (OSw) and toft (ODan) refer to the enclosed area immediately surrounding the farm houses (curtilage, plot), the size and use of which varied considerably throughout the North. The words have a number of related meanings in the East Norse laws, all of which seem to carry some legal significance. The ON tóft, might also refer to the foundation and walls before a roof was put on, and later it was used to describe ruined buildings. A corresponding word in Norwegian is (not in the laws) tún and in Icelandic bær (q.v. byr).

building plot OSw DL Gb
building site OIce Jó Fml 27
ONorw FrL KrbA 12
ONorw GuL Krb, Leb
curtilage OSw DL Bb, Rb
OSw UL Jb, Blb
OSw VmL Bb
ground ONorw FrL LlbA 2
ground plot OSw ÄVgL Jb, Kva
OSw YVgL Urb, Jb, Kvab, Föb, Add
homestead OSw MEL Bb
homestead area OSw BjR
OSw KrL Bb Eb Add
OSw MEL Bb
OSw MESt Bb Eb
homestead plot OSw MEL Bb
land OSw DL Bb
OSw MEL Bb
OSw ÖgL Eb
land allocated (to someone) OSw UL Blb
OSw VmL Bb
plot (1) OSw HL Blb
OSw MESt Jb, Kmb, Rb
OSw SdmL Äb, Bb, Till
OSw UL Jb, Blb
OSw VmL Mb, Jb, Bb
property OSw MEL Kgb
OSw MESt Kgb
OSw VmL Bb
toft ODan ESjL 2, 3
ODan JyL 1, 3
OSw ÖgL Jb Rb Bb
Expressions:

lagha tompt (OSw)

A tompt of a specified size.

lawful ground plot OSw YVgL Jb

rightful ground OSw YVgL Jb

svoren toft (ODan)

A toft converted from common land (ODan almænning, see almænninger) by all men of the village, and contrasted to old toft. Cp. vægher.

sworn toft ODan JyL 1:51

ta ok tomta ra, ta ok tompta ra (OSw)

village highway and property boundaries OSw VmL Bb

þa ær tompt akers moþer (OSw)

then shall the homestead areas determine the ownership of strips in fields OSw MEL Bb

 

Refs:

CV s.v. topt; Hoff 1997, 84−121; Holmberg 1946; Jón Hnefill Aðalsteinsson 1986−89, 38; KLNM s.v. tomt; Schlyter s.v. tompt