Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Willersey(e), Willersei(a) 709,714 BCS125,130

• Willersei 1086 DB 1386 Ipm

• Wyllersei 1445 Pat

• Long Willersey 1662 Harrowby

• æt Willereseie, into Wyllerese(i)ge, on Wyllerese(i)ge, of þere ege 840–52 BCS482 c.1200

• Willerese 1195 P

• Willeresheye c.1220 GlR

• on Wyllersege, of Wylleresegge

• Wylardeseye c.1220 GlR 1286 Episc 1287 Ass

• Wylardesheye 1248 Ass

• Willardeseye, Wyllardeseye 1274 RH 1291 Tax 1303 FA

• Willarsey(e), Wyllarsey(e) 1269 FF 1274 RH 1291 Tax 1577 FF

• Wilarsey(e), Wylarsey(e) 1327 SR 1342 Heref

Etymology

The first el. is probably a reduced form of the OE  pers.n. Wilheard ; the OE  forms are from documents of too late a time to carry much weight against the many Wyl (l )ard - spellings; it is hardly likely to be from OE  willere , wyllere 'salt-boiler' as that is a WSax form (corresponding to Angl  wellere ). 'Wilheard's water-meadow or island', v. ēg , probably a piece of higher and drier ground above marshland.