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.

Waldersea

Early-attested site in the Parish of Elm

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.