Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wystumble 1248 Ass

• Wistumble 1258,1263 Ass 1294 Ass

• Westhumble 1536 ADv

• Westomble al. Wistumble 1613 Recov

• Westumble al. Wystomble 1619 FF

Etymology

West Humble is Wystumble 1248Ass (p), Wistumble 1258, 1263Ass , 1294Ass (p), Westhumble 1536 AD v, Westomble al. Wistumble 1613Recov , Westumble al. Wystomble 1619FF , Whistumble 1648, 1653, Wistumble 1671ParReg . For the second element v. Stumbleholt infra 273. The first element is uncertain. The place lies low, and the first element might be OE  wisce, 'damp meadow,' hence 'stump in the low-lying meadow,' but such a compound does not seem very probable. Perhaps it would be better to take the first element as OE  wice, 'wych-elm,' hence 'wych-elm stump,' with early loss of ch from the sound- combination ch (e )st .