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.

Oakley Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Cheltenham

Historical Forms

  • Ockeley' 1344 MinAcct
  • Ocleye, Ocleyʒe 1344,1345 ib
  • Okeley(e) 1372,1435 Hy6,Hy7 Rent 1606 AOMB
  • Ockleys 1575 TRMB
  • Oc(k)ley Wood(e) 1598,1599 Comm

Etymology

Oakley Fm, Ockeley '1344MinAcct , Ocleye , Ocleyʒe 1344, 1345 ib, Okeley (e )1372, 1435 ib, Hy 6, Hy 7Rent , 1606AOMB , Ockleys 1575TRMB , Oc (k )ley Wood (e )1598, 1599Comm . The earlier spellings suggest that this may be 'Oc(c)a's clearing' from the OE pers.n. Oc(c)a (as in Ockley Sr 276), but later forms have been influenced by the common p.n. Oakley, 'oak clearing' (v. āc , lēah ), and this could indeed be the origin here.