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.

Wallasey

Major Settlement in the Parish of Wallasey

Historical Forms

  • Kirkeby in Waleya c.1180–1245 Chest
  • Kyrkbye in Waley in the parisshe of Walezey 1534–47 Dugd m16 AOMB397
  • Kirkeby 1254 Cl 1352 BPR 1523 ChRR 1571
  • Kyrkeby c.1320 Chol
  • Kirkby 1354 Orm2
  • Kirkbye 1539–47 Dugd
  • Kyrkeby Waley E1 Orm2
  • Kirkeby Waley 1398 Add
  • Kirkby Walley alias Wallesey 1657 Clif
  • Kyrby-Walley 1439 ChRR 1513 Plea
  • Kirbie-Walley 1553 Pat
  • Kyrby-Waley 1439 Orm2
  • Kirkeby in Walesee 1459 ChRR
  • Kirkeby in Walesey 1523 1571 ib
  • Kyrkby in Walsey c.1490 Surv
  • Kyrkeby-Walesee 1459 Orm2
  • Kirkeby-Wallasey 1545 Sheaf
  • Kirkby Walase 1522 Sheaf
  • Kirkby Walleseye 1614 Orm2
  • Kyrkewalese 1512 Orm2
  • Kirkewalesee 1512 ChRR
  • Walesey village c.1536 Leland
  • Walesey in the parysshe of Kirkby Walley 1539–47 Dugd
  • Wallasey 1545 Sheaf 1831 Bry
  • Wallezie 1579 Sheaf
  • Wallezey 1598 1600,1604 AD 1624 Orm2 1649 NotCestr 1724
  • Wallazey 1604 AD
  • Walsey 1621 Orm2 1656
  • Walleyseye 1639 Sheaf
  • Wallesey 1657 Clif
  • Kerkebie Walley 1594 Sheaf
  • Kerkby Walley 1629 Orm2
  • Kirby in Walley or Walsey 1621 Orm2 1656
  • Walley's Kirk 1718 NotCestr 1724

Etymology

'Church-village in Wallasey', from kirkju-býr and the district- name Wallasey 323supra , which distinguishes this place from West Kirby 294supra . Orm2 ii 472 notes that Kirkeby in Waleia or Kyrkeby Waley is the 'uniform designation' in the Lichfield episcopal registers down to 1487 when it is written Walesey . Obviously, the village of Kirkby , in which the parish church of Wallasey stood, has gradually taken the name of the parish.