Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Colesi 1086 DB

• Chelsi 1086 DB

• Calisei 1094 France

• Chaleseia c.1115 LS 1146,1163 RAi 1166,1194,1195 P

• Chalesiam 1191,1192,1193,1194 ib

• Chalesea 1170 ib

• Keleseye 1123–47 RAiv

• Kelesey c.1150 Gilb 1409

• Keleseie 1157–63 Dane a1199 1200,1203 Cur 1206 P

• Keleseia 1166 lHy2 Dane 1200,1201,1205,1206 P 1206 Ass 1214 P

• Kelesega (sic) 1188 P

• Keleseye 1247 Ch 1275 Ipm 1275 O 1292,1295 Ch 1335 Pat

• Keleseya 1229 RAiii

• Kelesey 1254 ValNor 1265 Pat 1281 QW 1303 FA 1394 Pat

• Kelesia 1190,1191,1199 P

• Kelesee 1203 Cur

• Kelesay 1275 RH

• Kelsay 1380,1383 Pat 1383 Fine 1387 Peace 1395,1397 Pat 1407 Fine

• Kelsaie 1554 PrState

• Kelseye 1362 BPR 1367 Ipm 1369 Fine

• Kelsey 1384 1401–02 FA 1426 Cl 1461,1552,1553 Pat

• Keleshai e13 RAiv

• Kelesheiam 1206 Ass

• Kaleseye 1210–12 RBE

• Kelcheye (sic) 1276 RH

• Kellesh' 1150–80 ChorCart Ed3

• Kelleshey 1187 Gilb 1409 RSu 1294 Fine 1384

• Kellesheie 1201 OblR

• Kelleshaye 1361 Cl

• Kelleshay 1373 Peace

• Kelleseia c.1200 RAviii

• Kellesie 1202 Ass

• Kellesay 1242–43 Fees

• Kellesaye 1330 FA

• Kelleseye 1264 Pat 1281 Ipm 1306,1322 Pat 1322,1327 Ipm 1348 Pat 1422 et passim

• Kellesey 1286 Pap 1303 Ipm 1316 FA

• Norchelsei 1086 DB

• Norcheleseia 1146 RAi

• Norkeleseie 1163 ib

• Norkeleseia 1238–43 Fees

• Nortchelesei 1086 DB

• Nortkeleseye 1244 Orig

• Nortkelleseye 1244 FineR 1272 FF 1344 FF

• Nortkellesheye 1276 Ipm

• Nortkelsey 1323 Cl

• Nordchelesia c.1115 LS

• Nordchelesi 1136–47 RAi

• Nord Kelisia 1177 ChancR

• Nordchuleseia 1177 P

• Nordkeleseie 1196 ChancR

• Nordkeleseia 1204 P

• Nordkelesey Hy3 Gilb 1409

• Norhtchelesia c.1141 RAi

• Northcheleseia c.1141 Ch 1329

• Northkeleseye 1190 Dugdvi 1301 RAiv a1218 Orig 1292 Pat 1346

• North Keleseye 1272 FF 1316 Misc

• North Kelesey 1316 FA

• Northkelesey 1375 Peace 1557 Pat

• Northkelleseie e13 HarlCh

• Northkelleseye 1262 Ipm 1322 Cl 1323 Ipm 1331,1363 Cl

• Northkellesey 1291 Tax 1340 Monson 1343 NI 1396 Cl 1504 Ipm

• North Kellesey eHy3 Gilb 1409 Cl 1303 FA 1428

• North Kelleseya 1276 RRGr

• North Kelleseye 1276,1322 Cl 1328 Banco 1380 Pat

• North Kellesay 1285 Ipm 1332 SR 1465 LNQxvii

• Northkellesay 1295 Ass 1477 Cl

• Northkelliseya 1277 RRGr

• Northkelseye 1276 RH 1323 Pat

• Northkelsey 1318 1329 Ass 1353 Inqaqd 1623 Monson

• Northekelsey 1427 HarlCh 1550 Pat

• North Kelsey 1324 Inqaqd 1400 Pat 1415 Cl

• North Kelsay 1322 Misc 1327 SR 1373 Peace 1408 Fine 1416 Pat 1535 VEiv

• Northkelsay 1549 MiscDon 1595 Monson

• North Kelsaie 1554 InstBen

• Kelsey borialis 1526 Sub

• Keleseye 1279 (c.1350) Rams ii, 343

Etymology

The forms without the affix North refer to either North or South Kelsey, but are included together here for convenience, since it is not always possible to decide to which each form relates.

Ekwall (DEPN s.n. Kelsale) has associated the first el. of Kelsey with that of Kelsale (Sf), Kelshall (Ch) and Kelshall (Hrt).It is, however, highly likely that Kelshall can now be removed from this series for Dodgson (PN Ch 3277–78) has proposed a separate etymology for that particular name. Ekwall's suggestions are that the first el. may be an OE  pers.n. Cēll (i ), though no such name is known, an OE  pers.n. Cēol , with Scand. K - for Ch -, or an OE  pers.n. Cēnel (gen.sg. Cēnles ), which he claims would give Kēles -.Even with the full lists of early forms collected here (and for South Kelsey in Walshcroft Wapentake), it is hardly possible to say more than that the first el. appears to be a strong OE  pers.n. with a gen.sg. in -es . So, Margaret Gelling's inclusion of Kelsey in her list of “names which are ambiguous or too obscure to be classified” (Place -Names in the Landscape , London 1984, 39) seems most sensible. The second el. is OE  ēg probably in the sense of dry or higher ground in marsh and it is noteworthy that to the west of the village is a whole series of minor names and f.ns. in Carr (from ON  kjarr, ME  ker ), including North Kelsey Carrs infra . If the original OE  pers.n. had initial [k] then the spellings in Ch - would be due to AN influence. On the other hand, if the source is in fact OE  Cēol , then K - would be due to Scand. influence. It is worth noting that an apparently identical name has been noted as that of a meadow (parish unknown) in Keleseye 1279 (c.1350) Rams ii, 343. It is North to distinguish the village from South Kelsey in Walshcroft Wapentake.