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.

Denny Hill

Early-attested site in the Parish of Westbury on Severn

Historical Forms

  • Dynn(e)y hill c.1340 For 1594 Dep
  • Denywere 1395 Ass 1396 Works
  • weir at Denne 1466,1475 Pat
  • Denn(e)y 1544 LP 1554 FF
  • Dynny 1614 GR640
  • Dynnee 1639 FF

Etymology

Denny Hill, Dynn (e )y hill c. 1340For , 1594Dep , Denywere 1395Ass , 1396 Works, 'weir at Denne ' 1466, 1475 Pat, Denn (e )y 1544LP , 1554FF , Dynny 1614GR 640, Dynnee 1639FF . 'Denna's water- meadow', v. ēg , wer 'weir' (here one in the Severn), and cf. Duni (163supra ). An OE  pers.n. *Denna would correspond to the OG  pers.n. Denno , Tenno (Förstemann PN 401).