Survey of English Place-Names

Etymology

Billingbear Park, cf. Pillingebere 1208 WinchesterPR, 1275–6 RH, Le Pyllingeber '1238 Cl, Pillingebir '1239 ib, Pillinber ', Pillingber '1240 ib, Peningber '1241 ib, Pillingber '1261 ib, Pollingebere 1263 ib, Pillingbere 1275–6 RH, 1284 Ch, Pullingbere 1275–6 RH, Pellingebery , Pillyngebery 1284 PontReg, Pillyngbere 1288–9RentSur , 1339 Cl, 1401–2 FA, Billings Bare 1761 Rocque, Billingbear 1790 Pride, Billingbear Park 1846 Snare. In several of the early references the name is said to be that of a wood. The second element is probably bǣr 2 'swine pasture', and this is combined with -inga- and an un- certain first el. If this were a pers.n. it could be an OE  *Pilla , a hypocoristic form of the pers.ns. in Pīl -. But bǣr is not a usual final el. in a p.n. formed from a pers.n. and -inga-. Ekwall's suggestion (DEPN) that there was a lost place called Pilley ('wood where piles were got'), and that the people who lived there were called *Pillingas , is plausible. Alternatively, the people of the neighbourhood might have been called *Pyllingas , from the small stream which traverses this part of the parish; v. O 462s. v. pyll . This would accord better with the occasional -e - and -u - of the forms. The change of P - to B - is evidently modern, and may have been helped by the comparative proximity of Bill Hill (142–3).