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.

Cowley

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cowley

Historical Forms

  • Kulege 1086 DB
  • Culeg(a), Culey(e) Hy3 ADii c.1240 GlR 1248 Ass
  • Gulege c.1260 Monast
  • Kauleg 1251 Ch
  • Couley(e), Coulegh 1253 ADiii 1287 QW 1291 Tax 1295 Misc 1357 Monast
  • Koulege 1287 QW
  • Coueley(e), Couele 1279 Episc 1287 Ass 1322 Cl 1325 Ipm
  • Coweley 1488 FF
  • Cowley 1535 VE 1540 FF c.1560 Surv

Etymology

'Cow clearing', v. , lēah . Some other spellings for Cowley cannot be distinguished from those of Coaley (ii, 219infra ).