Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Ble(c)hell 1199 Ch 1265

• Blecheleya e.13th Lil 1543 PR(L)

• Blechcheleye 1309 Ipm

• Bleggeleg c.1220–30 Lil

• Bleggeleg' p.1236 Lil

• Bledgley 1618 PR(L)

• Blechesley c.1222 HAC

• Blechesl' 1255–6 Ass

• Bletchesley, Blecchesley 1389 Cl

• Blechlegh' 1271–2 Ass

• Blechley 1536 PR(L)

• Blaccheleye 1306–7 Ass

• Bletcheley 1322 Pat

• Bletcheleye 1334 SR

• Bletchley 1596 PR(L)

• Bleashley 1696 SBL4992

Etymology

Second element lēah, probably in its late sense 'pasture, meadow'.First element a personal name, probably *Blecca . The personal name Blæcca is recorded, and is sometimes given as the first element of place- names such as Bletchley Bk, Bletchingley Sr, which have early forms with -a - as well as with -e -, v. PN Bk 17, PN Sr 308. There is a single -a - form for the present name, but this is outweighed by the mass of -e - spellings, and Blecca is the likeliest form of the personal name in this case. CDEPN and DEPN note the occasional forms with -s - and postulate a strong form *Blecci as an alternative, but a full collection of forms gives strong support to Blecca .