Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Chelebi 1086 DB c.1115 LS 1157–81,Hy2(e13) NCot

• Chilebi 1086 DB 1171–75 Dane

• Kelebi 1143–47,a1147,p1182 Dane 1190 NCot e13 Dane c.1190,l12,c.1200 Cur 1203 1208 Fees 1212,1213,1238–43

• Keleby c.1150,c.1155,eHy2,1160,a1166(e13) NCot 1166–75 Fulstow a1167,a1180,l12(e13) NCot 1210–12 RBE 1218 NCot e13 Welles a1219 FineR 1226 ClR 1226 FF 1226 Newh 1233 Holles Ed1 1634–42

• Kelebya 1200 ChR

• Kelebye 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed

• Kelaby 1364 Cor

• Kelesby 1181–85,l12(e13) NCot

• Kileby 1208 FF 1292 Orig

• Kyleby 1268 Cl 1303 FA

• Keileby c.1215 RAii 1576–77 MinAcct

• Keylby 1500 LouthCA 1530 Willsii 1539 AOMB 1539 LPxiv 1550 Pat

• Keylbye 1545 LPxx 1550–52 MinAcct 1551 Pat

• Keilbye 1553 ib

• Keilbie 1562–67 LNQv

• Keilby 1639 Foster 1666 VL

• Kyeleby 1218 Ass

• Kelby 1376 Cl 1463 Fine

• Kilby 1635 Foster

• Keelby 1380,1381,1387 Peace 1536–37 Dugdvi

• Kielby 1634 VisitN

• Keeleby 1629 Yarb

Etymology

Both Ekwall (DEPN s.n.) and Fellows-Jensen (SSNEM 55) agree that Keelby is a compound of kjǫlr 'a keel, a ridge (of hills) and bȳ 'a farmstead, a village'. Ekwall translates this as 'the bȳ at a ridge', while Fellows-Jensen comments that kjǫlr refers “to the spur on whose slope Keelby stands”. Spellings in Ch - are due to AN influence. This etymology, a Scand. compound, is philologically unexceptionable, but the topography calls for some comment.Through the good offices of Dr Rod Ambler, Mrs Bettie Watkinson has drawn a detailed map of the village, which shows that Keelby is situated on a rising piece of ground between the 15 and 20 metre contours (with one small patch above 20 metres). This forms a distinct elongated “ridge” running roughly south-east-north-west. Mr D.H. Appleby of Keelby comments that all the roads out of the old village have a sharpish dip in them mainly to what was carr land.He notes that approaching from the east along the Stallingborough road the old line of buildings from the church and farm does dominate the sky line.