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.

Chivery

Early-attested site in the Parish of Aston Clinton

Historical Forms

  • Cheurehaye 1262 Ass
  • Chiveray 1341 Fine 1346 FA
  • Chevereye 1382 IpmR
  • Aston Chewery 1532 LP
  • Aston Cheverey 1543 LP
  • Aston Chevery 1579 BM
  • Cheverye 1631 Foster

Etymology

OE  cefer -(ge )hæg , '(cock)-chafer enclosure,' so called because infested by this creature. Cf. ceafor-leah BCS 622. Cefer and ceafor are related forms of the same word, v. NED s.v. chafer . v. (ge)hæg. The modern form shows the common dialectal raising of e to i before v as in ivver for ever .