Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Doudeswall(e) 1241–60 ADiii 1263 Ass

• Deudeswell(e) 1255 Ass 1319 Pat 1327 Banco 1342 Ass

• Dudeleswell 1255 Ass

• Dudreswell 1263 Ass

• Deydeswelle 1288 Ass

• Dewdeswell 1315 ChertseyB

• Dudeswell 1328 FF 1461 Chertsey

• Dieudeswell 1324,1325 ChertseyB

• Dedyswell 1487 Ipm

• Delleswellane 1548 LRMB

• Dedeswelles lane t.Ed6 Rental

• Dadeswell 1540 FF

Etymology

This is a difficult name, and the forms are too late for any certain solution, for it is difficult to know what weight to attach to sporadic l and r in the third series of forms.

Professor Ekwall suggests that the forms may go back to a full form such as Dēorwealdeswiell (a ), 'Dēorweald 's spring,' with possible influence from a pet form Deōrwede for Dēorweald .

Dr Ritter notes that Dēaw is apparently found as a personal name in deawes broc (BCS 1282), and suggests a derivative personal name Dēawede of the type noted by Redin (161). This might give ME  Dēude , or, with shifting of accent, ME  Dōude (from OE  Deāwede ).