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.

Odell

Major Settlement in the Parish of Odell

Historical Forms

  • Wadelle 1086 DB
  • Wadehelle 1086 DB
  • Wahelle 1162 P
  • Wahull 1222,1232,1236 FF c.1230–40 Bodl(Bucks) 1235 Fees460 1240 Ass 1242 Fees891 1244 Cl 1245 Ch 1276 RH 1284 FA 1287 Ass 1302,1316 FA 1324 Ipm 1346,1428 FA
  • Wa(h)ille 1240 Ass
  • Wadehulle 1276 Ass
  • Wodhull 1276 RH 1287 Ass 1296,1308,1337 Ipm 1358 Fine 1376 Cl 1390–2 CS 1422 IpmR 1428 FA
  • Wahull al. Wadhull 1304 Ipm
  • Wod(e)hill 1359,1382 Cl 1476 IpmR
  • Wodell 1485 IpmR
  • Odyll, Odill 1494,1502 Ipm
  • Wodhyl 1503 Ipm
  • Odell 1526 LS
  • Odell al. Woodhill 16th BHRSviii.155

Etymology

'Woad hill' v. wad , hyll . It will be noted that all the names with wad given in EPN are compounded with an element de- noting a hill. The forms with loss of medial d (cf. IPN 111) must be explained as due to AN influence. Such would be very strong seeing that Odell was the head of an important barony, commonly known to historians by its Normanised name of Wahuil .

Places in the same Parish