English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Peterley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Great and Little Missenden

Historical Forms

  • Piterleia c.1150 Miss 14th
  • Piterleya c.1161 14th ib
  • Puterle 1291 Tax
  • Peterleye 1302 Ch 1426 Pat
  • Peterley 1542 L.ii.370
  • Petterlow 1550 L.ii.372
  • Petterley 1559 L.ii.373
  • Peterly Eliz ChancP

Etymology

Cf. also via de Piterleistan (c. 1180 (14th) Miss ).

The first element may be an OE  pers. name Peohthere which is not found but is a very likely compound, or Peohtrǣd which is on record, though in either case we should have expected a genitival s . The forms make the ordinary Peter , found in Petersfield (Ha), unlikely. v. leah .