Re: Wuz

> > Other French relatives
> > Le Waast, dép. P. d. C.
>
> On the face of it clearly *not* a relative.

The derivation *wos- > gueus- is impeccable, as far as I can see,
therefore it's a possibility.

> The original name, a derivative of the masculine personal
> name <Wacho>, can be seen in the forms <Wachonevillare> 8th
> c., <Vuachimvillare in pago Bononiensi> 954, and
> <Wachunvillers> 954. This was subsequently replaced by
> Latin <vastum>, OFr <gast> 'desolate, ravaged': <Wastum>
> 1107, <Guastum> 12th c., <Wast> 12th c.

The French apparently had difficulties with assigning this word and
its relatives to either Romance or Germanic, *vas- or *was-, cf. vado

> je vais, but vadum > gué.

Torsten