Great and Little Billing
Major Settlement in the Parish of Billing, Great and Little
Historical Forms
- Bel(l)inge 1086 DB
- Bellinges 1179 P 1252 Cl
- Billynges 1156 Ch 1318
- Billinges 1223 BM 1305 Ipm
- Byllynges 13th NthStA
- Bethlinges 1155–8 Ch 1329 NthStA 13th
- Billing(g)e Magna 12th Survey
- Billing(g)e Parva ib.
- Magna Byllinge, Parva Byllinge 1272 Seld13
- Majore Billing, Billing 1220 Fees 1253 Ch
- Billing Magna al. Much Billing 1674 Recov
- Billing Mina (sic) 1710 ParReg
Etymology
The interpretation of this name depends upon the weight we attach to the twice-repeated form Bethlinges . It is difficult not to take this into account. If so, we may take this to be an ingas- derivative of a pers. name *Bȳdel , a diminutive of Bȳda , which is on record. This name is probably found also in Biddlestone (PN NbDu 21). Confusion of dl and thl is common. Later, assimilation of dl to ll took place. If we neglect these two forms we must take the name to be an ingas-derivative of Billa . Hence, 'people of Bydel ' or 'of Billa .' The spellings with e are AN spellings with e for i (IPN 113).