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.

Dunsley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Tring

Historical Forms

  • Daneslai, Deneslai 1086 DB
  • Dunesle 1294 SR
  • Dynesle 1296,1307 ib
  • Doneslefeld 1367 Extent
  • Dinnesley 1511 Ct
  • Dunnesley 1542 FF

Etymology

Dunsley is Daneslai , Deneslai 1086 DB, Dunesle 1294SR (p), Dynesle 1296, 1307 ib., Doneslefeld 1367Extent , Dinnesley 1511Ct , Dunnesley 1542 FF. This would seem to be the same name as Dinsley supra 22 with a different phonetic development, perhaps because it is a good deal farther to the west.