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.

Whipsnade

Major Settlement in the Parish of Whipsnade

Historical Forms

  • Wilbesnede 1202 Ass
  • Wibsnede, Wybsnede 1202 FF 1287 Ass
  • Wybbesnathe 1227 FF 1332 ADi
  • Wibbesnethe 1227 FF
  • Wyppesnade 1227 Ass 1308 ADi 1382 Cl
  • Wylbesnethe 1227 Ass
  • Wibbesnade, Wybbesnade 1236 FF 1242 Fees869 1247 Ass 1252 FF 1291 NI 1319 ADvi 1333 ADvi
  • Wybesnade, Wibesnade 1236 FF 1291 NI 1316 FA 1340,1349,1350 ADvi
  • Wipesnade, Wylbesnad, Wybesnathe 1247 Ass
  • Wybbesned 1247,1276 Ass
  • Wybbesnet 1276 Ass
  • Websnade 1299 Ipm 1374 ADvi
  • Wypsnade, Wipsnade 1352 BM 1390–2 CS 1394,1490 ADvi 1491 Ipm
  • Websenad 1374 ADvi
  • Wipsonade 1421,1422 ADi 1441 ADii
  • Wyppysnade 1526 LS

Etymology

'Wibba's snæd,' the reference being probably to the piece of woodland cut off and cleared by the original settler. It is very doubtful if this name is found on independent record in OE , the Wibba of Florence of Worcester being an error of transcription for Pibba , but it is clearly found in Wibbandun (ASC s. a. 568) and must be a pet-form for some such name as Wīgbeald or Wīdbeald . There was also a Wybbesethe in Whipsnade in 1308 (AD i) which is a compound of seað with the same pers. name.

Places in the same Parish