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.

Helredale

Major Settlement in the Parish of Whitby

Historical Forms

  • Hellerdale 1145–8 Whitby
  • Helredale 1155–65 12 Leon66d
  • Ellerdale 1351 Whitby

Etymology

v. dæl . The first element is possibly ON  hella , gen. hellur , 'flat stone, tableland of rocks,' common in Norw place-names, cf. Helwath Beck 117supra .