 According to the 1856 and 1857 "History and topography of the City of York," the Owst family name leads directly to the original Saxon thanes who gave their name to the village.The name reappears in records in 1349, during the reign of Edward III, with a Robert Owst who had possessions in Hedon, and whose descendant branches "have lived in Holderness for centuries", and held lands in Nunkeeling, Welwick and Halsham.An Owst (died 1489), was Prior of Nunkeeling Priory.