Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Walderse 1248 ElyCh 1420 et freq

• Waldirsee 1316 MinAcct

• Waldersey 1368 Imb

• Waldersea 1658 BLAcct

• Waltershe 1251 ElyCouch

• Walterse(e) 1316 MinAcct 1480 et freq

• Waltersey(e) 1368 Imb 1597 WisbechMap

• Waterse 1383, 1492 Ct

• Waterseye 1438 Imb

Etymology

The first element is probably the gen. sg. of the personal name Wealdhere , the variant forms in Walter - being due to the OFr  Walter or to that tendency to unvoice d to t before h which Ekwall first noted in such names as Waltham from Wealdham (Studia Neophilologica i, 97 ff.). The second is probably ēg . Waldersea is partly in Wisbech St Mary and St Peter.