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.

Worminghall

Major Settlement in the Parish of Worminghall

Historical Forms

  • Wermelle 1086 DB
  • Wurmehal' 1163 P
  • Wurmehala Willelmi 1167 P
  • Wurmaala 1167 Chancellor'sRoll
  • Wurmehale c.1210 BodlO85
  • Wirmenhale c.1218 WellsL
  • Wrmenhale c.1220 WellsR
  • Wirmehale 1229 WellsR
  • Wrmehale 1237–40 Fees 1241 Ass 1302 FA
  • Wurmehale 1241 Ass
  • Wurmenhale 1246 Ass
  • Wormehale 1247 Fees874 1284 FA 1296 Ipm
  • Wyrmehale 1247 Gross
  • Wyrmenhale 1247 Ass 1291 Tax
  • Wirmehalle 1255 For
  • Wermehale 1255 For 1292 BodlO110
  • Wormenhale 1280 Ipm 1316 FA 1333,1341 Cl 1346 FA 1375 Pat 1376 Ipm 1382 Cl
  • Worminghall c.1450 Linc c.1550 ib
  • Wormynale 1503 Pat
  • Wornall 1525 LP
  • Wurnall 1535 VE
  • Wormenhall(e) 1535 VE 1806 Lysons

Etymology

There must have been OE  names Wurma , and, with mutation of the stem-vowel, Wyrma , though the only OE  name on record with a Wurm - element is Wurmhere . We certainly have a patronymic form from Wyrma in Wormegay (Nf) for which Ekwall (PN-ing 172) quotes Wirmyngeye BM 1383 and in Warmington (Nth), Wyrmingtun BCS 1130. Hence 'Wyrma's healh.' In the modern form mn has been assimilated to n .