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.

Horley

Major Settlement in the Parish of Horley

Historical Forms

  • Horle(e) late12th BM 1199 ChR
  • Horleg' 1203 FF
  • Horlie 1219 FF
  • Horle 1241 Ass
  • Hornle 1230,1255 Ass
  • Hornly c.1270 Winton
  • Horneleye 1279 QW
  • Hornleya 1313 Chertsey
  • Hornlee 1313 Pat
  • Hornele 1428 FA c.1432 Chertsey
  • Horelee 1296 Ass
  • Horeleye 1305 Ass
  • Hurle 1355 Ipm

Etymology

This name is a compound of leah and horn . Horley lies in somewhat featureless ground, so that it is unlikely that the name is descriptive of the site. More probably it denotes 'woodland (or clearing) once belonging to Horne' infra 322.