Duloe
Early-attested site in the Parish of Eaton Socon
Historical Forms
- Diuelho, Dyuelho 1167 P 1227 Ass 1228 BM 1247,1287 Ass 1297 SR
- Duuelho
- Deuelho 1227 Ass 1512 ADvi
Etymology
This is a difficult name. Professor Ekwall suggests that there may have been an OE *dyfel , 'peg,' cognate with Ger döbel , tübel (from *dubila ), 'peg,' cf. dowel , used of a peg in NED. The compound might then be descriptive of a hoh which, by its shape, suggested a peg or plug. Topographically this is not impossible.
There is a nickname Deule , presumably from OE dēofol , found in the Beds DB in the name of Alwin Deule , a tenant in Pertenhall, Tempsford, Clifton and Chicksand (cf. the pers. name Deuleward (13th cent.) in Thurgarton Cartulary 115). If he or someone else so nicknamed had given his name to the place we should have expected Deulesho . One must therefore probably reject the suggestion made in VCH i. 297 n. , that his name might be found in Duloe. With more certainty one may reject association with the Deyville family, cf. VCH iii. 190.