Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Walesbi 1086 DB c.1115 LS 1188 P Hy2,l12,1196–1203 RAiv 1202 Ass 1204 P 1204,1205,1206 Cur c.1210 RAiv

• Walesbia 1212 Fees

• Walesby 1187 Gilb 1409 Ch 1198 RAiv 1328 Cur John FF 1223 RAiv 1240 Fees c.1240 FF 1242–43 ValNor 1249 Ipm 1254 FF 1263,1268 Cor 1269 RH 1272 QW 1275 Tax 1281 FA 1291 1303

• Walesb' 1240–50 RAiv

• Walesbie 1576 LER

• Walesbye 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed

• Walisby 1295 RSu

• Walysby 1509 Ipm 1526 Sub

• Walysbye a1537 MiscDep 1547 Pat

• Walesbi Hundred 1086 DB

• Whalesby 1414 Cl

• Waylesbie 1576 FLIrnham

• Wailsby 1708 Td'E

• Wallesby 1467–72 ECP

• Wallesbie 1601 Terrier

• Walebi 1188,1190,1191,1192,1193,1194,1195,1197 P 1196 ChancR 1196 Cur

• Waleby 1220 1239 RRG 1246 Pat 1247 RRG

Etymology

'Val's farmstead, village', v. bȳ . The pers.n. is ON  Valr , ODan  Val , as in Walshcroft Wapentake supra , the same man presumably giving his name to the district and to the settlement.Walesby, PN Nt 63–64, has an identical etymology. It should be noted, however, that Dr John Insley includes the formal possibility that the first el. of these names may be the OE  pers.n. Walh . He points out that “OE  Walh occurs in 8th and 9th century charters, and is attested as late as the early 11th century (in Ker 176c: Durham) as the name of a manumitted serf.”