Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Teiam 1086 DB

• Teia, Teya, Teye 1135–54 Colch

• Teye Magna 1231 FF

• Teye de Mandevill 1238 SR

• Teye al. Clocher 1254 FF

• Teya Godmar 1266 Ipm 1366 LansdCh

• Teye Godmar ad Hulmos 1267 Ipm

• Teye Mundevill, Teye Mondevile 1274 RH

• Teye ad Elmos 1275 Ipm

• Teye Parva 1321 Londin

• Teye atte Nelmes 1342 FF

• Teye atte Elmes 1364 Works

• Teye atte Staple 1384 Cl

• Teye Merkys 1475 Oath

• Moche Teye 1494 EAS(OS)iii

• Teye Markes alias Maundevyle 1522 FF

• Teye Godmer alias Little Teye 1556 ib

• They(e) 1163–1221 WDB 1234,1254 FF

• They(e) a la steple 1286 ib

• They(e) ate Staple 1291 Tax

• Thea 1176 P

• Teyen 1285 FF, Ass

• Merkysteyn 1439 Pat

• vulgo Tayn 1768 M

• Tye 1336 Ipm 1375 Pat 1412 FA

• Much Tye t.Jas1 ChancP

• ad Ulmes juxta urbem Colecestria a.1272 Colch

• Merkys 1412 FA

• Mandeville in 1086 (DB)

• Merck (1267 M)

Etymology

Professor Ekwall by reason of the earliest forms takes this name to be derived from OE  *tiege , a variant of the more usual teag, 'enclosure.' tigan is plural (dat. or acc.), probably because the settlements were distinct from early days, and left its traces in the later forms Teyen , Teyn . Great Tey was also called a la Steple or Al Clocher because the church had a large square stone tower.v. stiepel and cf. Bumpstead infra 419. Marks was formerly called Mandevile because held by Geoffrey de Mandeville in 1086 (DB), under whose family it was held by that of Merk , descendants of Adolf de Merck (1267 M). This was also called at Elms “by reason of some very large Elms, formerly growing in it, especially on the road to Coggeshall. And in this Elms are observed particularly to thrive” (M ii, 201). Cf. Nelmes supra 114. Little Tey was also called Godmar .