Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Angleshey(e), Anglesheia, Anglyshey(e), Anglishey(e) 12th ADiii 1553 Pat

• Angleshey(e) juxta Stowe 1362 Coleiv

• Angelsheye 1253 FF

• Anglesie 1213 Cur

• Angleseia, Angleseie, Angleseye, Angleseya 1221 FF 1539 MinAcct

• Anglesee 1227 NLC

• Anglesea c.1278 ElyA

• Anglysseye 1444 ADi

• Angylsey 14th Wymond 1489 AddCh

• Angelsey 1451 ib

• Engles(s)(e)ye 1262 AOMB 1272

• Hangleseye 1272 Ass 1311 Queens'

• Angeseye 1578 Queens'

• Hangerhale 1268 Ass 1451 AddCh

• Angerhale 1348 1451 AddCh

• Ang(e)rale t.Ric2 Rental 1428

• Anglemedwe, Anglecroft t.Hy6 Rental

Etymology

No certainty is possible with regard to this name. At first sight Ekwall's interpretation (DEPN) 'isle of the Angle' is attractive, but the reason for such a name is difficult to find. 'Isle of the Angle' is unlikely in territory which was essentially Anglian rather than Saxon.The possibility of some other interpretation is suggested by the existence near by of a hamlet Angerhale in Bottisham (1279 RH) and the mention at an earlier date of Angerhale , a place to which the monks of Ely took their treasures in the troubled days of Hereward (v. Gesta Herewardi 391). It is further mentioned as Hangerhale 1268Ass , 1451AddCh , Angerhale 1348Ct , 1451AddCh , Ang (e )rale t. Ric 2Rental , 1428Ct . We have also mention of Anglemedwe , Anglecroft t. Hy 6Rental . Angerhale is clearly a compound of OE  *anger, 'grass-land' (cf. Ongar, PN Ess 71–2) and healh , hence 'grass-land nook'. It may be that from Angerhale was formed a compound Angerhales -ēg , 'marshland by Angerhale ,' and that this developed to Anglehalesey , Anglesey , v. ēg . For angle from angre , v. IPN 107 and cf. the similar development of hangra in Barnacle (PN Wa 101), Rishangles (PN Sf 124), Hangleton (PN Sx 168, 289), Nether hangeles 1270StJohn 's (Horningsea), Fleghangelles infra 324 and s. n. Christ's Piece supra 40.