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.

Ray Head

Early-attested site in the Parish of Bolton by Bowland

Historical Forms

  • Raheued l.12,13,1269 Sawl8
  • Raueheued 13 Percy
  • capite occidentali Raache, capud de Raaghe Hy3 Sawl28d
  • Rahed 1576 BM
  • Reyhead(e) 1578 WillY 1612 PRBlt
  • Read 1648 ib
  • Raid 1771 M

Etymology

Ray Head, Raheued l. 12, 13, 1269Sawl 8–9d, 13 Percy, 1246Ass 14et freq to 1576Comm , Raueheued 13 Percy, capite occidentali Raache , capud de Raaghe Hy 3Sawl 28d, Rahed 1576 BM, Reyhead (e )1578 WillY, 1612 PRBlt, Read 1648 ib, Raid 1771 M. 'Roe-buck headland or hill', v. , hēafod . The spellings Raue -, Raaghe are from the earlier OE  form rāha .