Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Reye 1342 Cl 1346–7 Bodl 1392 1412 FA

• Reyemulles 1347,1392 Bodl

• Reyemulnes 1351 ib

• La Reye 1381 Windsor

• Ryemelles 1419 Bodl

• Reymilles 1431 ib

• Lez Rey Milles 1439–40 ib

• Rey, Lee Rey Laak 1491 PubLib(Bray)

• Ray 1517 DInc

• Cookeham Rey, Rey Mill 1573 SpecCom

• Ray Mills 1608–9 Bodl 1761 Rocque 1790 Pride

• Meadow called the Raye 1611 SpecCom

• the Raye Brooke 1629 PubLib(Bray)

Etymology

Ray Court, Ray Mill, Raymead, Reye 1342 Cl (p), 1346–7Bodl (p), 1392ib , 1412 FA, Reyemulles 1347, 1392Bodl , Reyemulnes 1351ib , La Reye 1381Windsor , Ryemelles 1419Bodl , Reymilles 1431ib , Lez Rey Milles 1439–40ib , Rey , Lee Rey Laak 1491PubLib (Bray ), Ray 1517 DInc, Cookeham Rey , Rey Mill 1573SpecCom , Ray Mills 1608–9Bodl , 1761 Rocque, 1790 Pride, Meadow called the Raye 1611SpecCom , the Raye Brooke 1629PubLib (Bray ). 'At the island', OE  ætþǣre ēge , ME atter eye . This has become Rye in Sx (Sx 536), but there is another example in K (Ray Wood PN K 390) in which the development has been identical with that of the Berks name. The name may have been applied originally to the island in the Thames on which Ray Mill is situated, or it may always have denoted the land between the Thames and the brook which rises S.W. of Maidenhead Court. This brook is probably the Rey Laak mentioned in 1491 (v. lacu ), and the Raye Brooke of 1629.