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.

Ruislip

Major Settlement in the Parish of Ruislip

Historical Forms

  • Rislepe 1086 DB
  • Rislep(e) 1230 FF 1483 et freq
  • Risselep(e) 1241 CR 1252 Ch 1343 FF
  • Risshelep(e) 1292 Cl 1381 Pat
  • Rysshelep(e) 1307,1400 FF
  • Rysselep(e) 1315 ib
  • Risseelep(e) 1356 YearBk
  • Ruslep 1227 Pat
  • Russelep(e) 1229 Pat 1291 Tax 1294 FF 1365 BM
  • Russhelep(e) 1247 Ass 1341 NI 1342,1349 FF
  • Rushlep(e) 1315 ib
  • Russlep 1293 FF
  • Risslipe 1246 FF
  • Rishlip 1310 ib
  • Rysslypp 1550 PCC
  • Reslepe 13th,1328 StPaulsMSS
  • Resslep 1363 Cl
  • Reslipp 1628 ParReg(Ickenham)
  • Ruysshlep 1341 Pat
  • Ruyssheleppe 1435 MinAcct
  • Ruyslep 1437,1438 Pat
  • Rislelepp (sic) 1462 Pat
  • Ryselypp 1530 FF
  • Rieslyppe 1553 ib
  • Ryslip 1593 N
  • Rislipp al. Islipp 1701 BM
  • Ruislip(p) 1597,1621 PCC

Etymology

This name is probably a compound of OE  rysc, rise, 'rush' and hlype , 'leap.' The application of the second element here is uncertain. It may refer to a spot where the little river Pin could be crossed. Ekwall (DEPN s. n .) would take the second element to be slæp , 'slippery spot,' etc., but the absence of any medieval spellings with a and the numerous forms with medial e between s and l and sh and l tell against this. The modern ui preserves a ME orthography for the sound [y], cf. buy , build , bruise , etc. (NED).