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.

Whitefield

Early-attested site in the Parish of Marwood

Historical Forms

  • Witefella 1086 DB
  • Whytefeud, Whytefeld 1242 Fees772,787

Etymology

'White open country,' v. feld . The name Whitefield is fairly common in Devon, as elsewhere. In these names white may be used in the sense given by the EDD for that word, viz. 'dry open pasture ground in opposition to woodland and black - land growing heath.' Cf. the numerous names like Blackland, Blagdon, etc.