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.

Whitley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Coventry

Historical Forms

  • Witele(y) c.1144,c.1185(1348) Ch 1334 Ipm
  • Whitele 1249 ADiii 1344 Ipm
  • Wytheley 1252 Ch
  • Qwytelege 1285 Ass
  • Whitteley 1324 Ipm 1369 ADii 1451 Ch
  • Whyteleymulne 1331 Ass
  • Whitley juxta Coventre 1394 ib
  • Wyttlefeld 1411 Coventry
  • Whetley 1501 Pat

Etymology

Whitley is Witele (y )c. 1144, c. 1185 (1348) Ch, 1334 Ipm, Whitele 1249 AD iiiet freq to 1344 Ipm, with variant spellings Whytele and Whitley (e ), Wytheley 1252 Ch, Qwytelege 1285Ass , Whitteley 1324 Ipm, 1369 AD ii, 1451 Ch, Whyteleymulne 1331Ass , Whitley juxta Coventre 1394 ib., Wyttlefeld 1411Coventry , Whetley 1501 Pat. 'White wood or clearing,' v. leah . For a possible meaning of white cf. Whitefield (PN D 52).