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.

Portley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Caterham

Historical Forms

  • Porkele 1225,1235,1313 Ass 1327 FF 1453 FF
  • Porkeleye 1272 Ass 1378 FF
  • Porklee 1331 Cl
  • Porcle 1387 Pat
  • Portele 1524 LP

Etymology

Portley is Porkele 1225, 1235, 1313Ass (p), 1327 FF (p), 1453 FF, Porkeleye 1272Ass (p), 1378 FF, Porklee 1331 Cl (p), Porcle 1387 Pat, Portele 1524 LP. Professor Ekwall notes the probable parallel of Porkington (Sa), Porchinton 1164 P, Porkyntyn 1295 Ch, and suggests that we have to do with a word or name allied to ON  purka , 'sow,' Faroese purka , 'young sheep,' Alsatian pfurch , 'small person' (cf. Torp s. v. purka 1). The second element is leah .