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.

Whippendell

Early-attested site in the Parish of Kings Langley

Historical Forms

  • Whippedenfeld 1333 Cassio
  • Whippedene 1364 1365 ADiii
  • Whyppenden c.1390 Ct 1509 Cassio
  • Whependen Grove 1545 LP
  • Whippenden Bottom 1607 Cussans

Etymology

Whippendell is Whippedenfeld 1333Cassio , Whippedene 1364 Gesta, Cl, 1365 AD iii, Whyppenden c. 1390Ct , 1509Cassio , Whependen Grove 1545 LP, Whippenden Bottom 1607 Cussans.It is probable that we have here the personal name Wippa found in wippan hoh (BCS 883), Whippingham (Wt) (DB Wipingeham ), Whiphill (PN Sx 28), Whipley (PN Sr 257) and in an expanded form in the OE  personal name Wipped . In the personal name, as in the common noun wippe (ModEng whip ), the development of w to wh was clearly very common. Hence 'Wippa 's valley,' v. denu . For confusion of denu and dell , cf. infra 252–3.