Editing Oegstgeest (section)

== Etymology ==

The portion ''geest'' in the name refers to the [[Geest|geest lands]], which were excavated in the seventeenth century for the benefit of the urban expansion of [[Leiden]].

There exists more uncertainty about the 'Oegst' part. There are various stories. The name was formerly often spelled '''Oestgeest''' or '''Oostgeest''', which could indicate the geographical location of the village: east of the geest lands. However, the oldest spelling found in a copy of a list of goods of the [[St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht|St. Martin's Cathedral]] in [[Utrecht]] from the tenth century states '''Osgeresgeest'''. This could indicate an original resident and owner of the territory: Osger.

In the [[Middle Ages]] they also spoke of the Church of '''Kerckwerve''' if one referred to the Oegstgeester parish church (now the Green Church).