Quite tellingly when looking at a map of the north east as a whole, there a number of small villages and hamlets dotted around carrying the name of Unthank. As a result it's probably expected there would be a fairly standard meaning or explanation of the word. And guess what - there is! Taken from the Anglo-Saxon word 'Unthances' it refers to a farm once occupied by squatters, or those 'without leave' rather than rude people who don't have proper manners.
