Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Quennebi 1086 DB

• Quenebi, Queneby 1202 FF 1333 Ch

• Quenby 1338 Baildon 1394 Test

• Qwheneby 1408 YI

• Whenby(e) 1316 KF Eliz Test 1454 Visit 1530

Etymology

v. by . The first element is ON  kona , 'a woman,' gen. plur. kvenna , Cf. Swed  Kvinneby , OSwed  Quinnæby from the same OSwed  kona (Hellquist, Svenska ON på -by , 72). Hence, 'women's farm.'

The modern form with loss of initial k - arises from (1) the falling together of ON  (OE ) cw - and the over-aspirated OE  hw - (ME  qwh -), and (2) subsequent loss of aspiration, a regular feature in the dialect. Cf. Wheldrake (YER), earlier Queldryk 1285 KI, Wheldryke 1519 Test, and Quernhow and Whaw 224, 296infra .