Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Quaueney(e) t.Hy3 WMP 1279 ElyM 1298 Ass 1335 Sacr

• Quaueney(e)brynge 1432 Ct

• Quaueney(e)brynk 1449 ib

• Ʒeueneye 1348 ElyC

• Quaney 1576 Saxton

• Quavenye brinck 1611 AddCh

• Quayney 1617 SewersD

• Quanea (Brink or Lode) 1636 BedL

• Quamming(e)were, Quammingeswere 1086 InqEl

• the Quave 1569 CHuASi

Etymology

Quaveney Hill [kweini] is Quaueney (e )t. Hy 3WMP , 1279ElyM , 1298Ass , 1335 Sacr, Quaueney (e )brynge 1432Ct , Quaueney (e )brynk 1449 ib., Ʒeueneye 1348ElyC , Quaney 1576 Saxton, Quavenye brinck 1611AddCh , Quayney 1617SewersD , Quanea (Brink or Lode )1636 BedL. The first form for Quaney Field (infra 288), viz. Whaueney , is reminiscent of some of those for the River Waveney (Nf, Sf) and Wawne (PN ERY 44–5).These names, with Warne (PN D 201), Ekwall (RN 440) derives from an OE  *wagen (cf. OE wagian , 'to wag') in the sense 'quaking bog.'Here we may have a similar formation, *cwafen , related to an OE  *cwafian of parallel formation to cwacian , 'to quake,' v. NEDs. v. quave . Hence *cwafenēg , 'quaking-bog island.' Here too possibly belong Quamming (e )were , Quammingeswere 1086 InqEl, alternative names of a fishery which may have been in this neighbourhood. In this case, the basis may be cwafening , an -ing - derivative of cwafen , with early assimilation of fn to mn and mm . The more common noun is found in Bottisham in the Quave 1569 CHuAS i. v. brinke .