Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Chichelai 1086 DB

• Kichalaie 1178-87 YChvii

• Kichelay, Kychelay, Kycheley 13 YDi 1294 Ebor

• Kikelei(e), Kykelei(e), Kykel', Kykele(y), Kykelay 12 Kirkst 1170-9 YChvi 1202-8 Ass 1234 Kirkst 1277 Baild 1504 NCWills

• Kihel(e)', Kyhel(e)', Kyhelay 1227–43 YChvii 1250–60 Puds 1273 YI

• Kyhhelay 1234 Kirkst

• Kye Leya c.1230 Puds

• Kikhele 1244 Ebor

• Kykhelay 1261–7 YChvii

• Kighele(y), Kyghele(y), Kyghelay(e) 1246 Ass13d 1250 FF 1250–9 YChvii a.1263 1291 Tax 1292 BltComp19 1545 WillY

• Kighley, Kyghley, Kyghlay 1273 YDi 1285 KI 1303 KF 1345 Font 1362 FF 1786 PRAdd

• Kytheleg 1263 FF

• Kithelai, Kithelay 1272 Ebor 1333 Riev

• Kythlay 1325 YDiv

• Kygeley 1287 YI

• Kiglay 1583 WillY

• Keghelay 1365 Puds

• Keighley 1571 WillY 1596 FF 1664 PRKy

• the burthe of Doncastre' 1515 Test v, 59

Etymology

'Cyhha's forest-glade or clearing', v. lēah . The pers.n. is an unrecorded OE  Cyhha , found also locally in Kicheburn , the older name of North Beck (infra ). This pers.n. would be a normal i -mutated form of OE  Cohha (as in Cockfield Sf, Cohhanfeld KCD 685) and Cuhha ; OE  -hh - was sometimes represented by ME  -k - and in fact often became -k - in pronunciation as in Cockfield Sf, Coxwold YN 191. The development of ME  -gh - [χ] to -f - is common, as in laugh , tough , etc., and since -f - is also a dial. development of -th -, the modern pronunciation [ˈkiːþli] is an inversion, paralleled by such spellings as burthe for burghe (the burthe of Doncastre '1515 Test v, 59); cf. also the modern pronunciation of Ilkley iv, 210supra .