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.

Meppershall

Major Settlement in the Parish of Meppershall

Historical Forms

  • Malpertesselle, Maperteshale 1086 DB
  • Maperteshala Steph Ch 1313 P 1190 Fees10 1198
  • Meperteshale 1200,1206 FF 1490 Ipm
  • Mainpardeshal 1203 FF
  • Maperteshale Hy2(1255),1202 Ass 1220 LS 1224 Bract 1247 Ass 1255 Ch
  • Mepardeshale 1227 Ass 13th ADii
  • Mauperteshal' 1233 Bract
  • Meperdeshale 1247 Ass 1244–52,1285 Ch 1302 FA 1445 ADiii
  • Meper(e)shale 1316 FA 1369 Fine
  • Mepersale 1331 Ipm
  • Meparteshale 1347 Pat
  • Mapartysshall, Meppertyshall 1494 Ipm
  • Mepersall 1526 LS Eliz ChancP
  • Mepsall 1610 Speed 1635 NQi
  • Meppershall or Mepshall 1806 Lysons

Etymology

'Mathalperhts's nook or corner of land' v. healh . The pers. name in question is the OHG form of an OE  name Mæðelbeorht , supposing such to have existed. Mæðel - names are very rare in OE , Mæthelgār , from which Maugersbury (Gl) is derived, is the clearest instance, and Mæðelbeorht has not yet been found.Förstemann gives several examples of Madalper (a )ht , and it is probable that here we have to do with a late settler or, more probably, some king's thegn of continental origin who became possessed of this piece of land. On the other hand, the name was clearly recognised as the equivalent of an English name in Mæðel -, as thus only can we account for the development of Mep - forms, which ultimately triumphed over the Map - ones which would be the normal development of a name in Mathal -.This does indeed suggest the possibility that the name was really OE  Mæðelbeorht and that the p was due to an unconscious assimilation of this extremely rare English name to its continental cognate.

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site