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.

Welford

Major Settlement in the Parish of Welford

Historical Forms

  • (æt) Welig forda, (to) Weligforda 949 contemporary ib
  • (æt) Weligforda 956 c.1200 ib
  • Waliford 1086 DB
  • Walifort, Waliford Hy1 ClaudiusCix c.1200
  • Wali(g)ford c.1200 ClaudiusCix
  • Waleford' 1284 Ass
  • Weliford' 1167 P
  • Weleford' 1178 ib
  • Welif' 1220 Fees
  • Weliford 1230 Pat
  • Welleford' 1272 Os 1284 Ass
  • Weleford 1275–6 RH 1284 Ass
  • Weleforde 1316 FA
  • Welford 1386 Fine

Etymology

'Willow ford', from welig and ford . The place is on the R. Lambourn. BCS 366 is spurious.