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.

Witley

Major Settlement in the Parish of Witley

Historical Forms

  • Witlei 1086 DB
  • Witlea 1174 P
  • Witle(e) 1204 ClR 1212,1237 Fees 1335,1370 Ass
  • Witlege 1238 Pap
  • Witlegh 1291 Tax
  • Wytle 1255,1263 Ass 1312 Ipm
  • Wytleg 1259 FF
  • Wytlye 1320 Ch
  • Wyttleye 1275 Pat
  • Wittelega 1185 P
  • Wyttele t.John HMCvii 1325 Ass 1336,1345 BM
  • Wytteley 1247 Ch
  • Wytteleye 1259 FF 1270 Winton
  • Wytteleghe 1321 ib
  • Witteley 1279 Ass
  • Wittele 1304,1394 Pat
  • Wittelegh 1331 FF
  • Whitlege 1237 Pap
  • Whytley 1241 Ass
  • Witeleye 1258 Cl
  • Wyteley 1279,1289 Pat 1279 Ass
  • Whyteleg' 1259 Ass
  • Whitele 1263 Ass
  • Whiteleye 1283 Cl
  • Whiteley al. Witteley al. Whitley 1451 Pat
  • Whyteley al. Whytley 1555 FF
  • Witley al. Whitley 1615 Recov

Etymology

The comparative rarity of early spellings with initial wh suggests that this name was originally 'Witta 's leah' rather than 'white leah.'