Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• La Fineia 12 Font

• del Fyney 1274,1297 WCR 1305 Cl

• Fynee 1308 WCR

• le Finey 14,1349 DodsN

• Fenay(e), Feney 1305 Cl 1379 PT 1393,1456 DodsN 1426 Ramsd 1680 WB228a

• le Feney 1532 ib

• Finnie 1698 Arm

Etymology

Fenay, La Fineia 12 Font, del Fyney 1274, 1297 WCR (p), 1305 Cl, Fynee 1308 WCR (p), le Finey 14, 1349 DodsN, Fenay (e ), Feney 1305 Cl, 1379 PT (p), 1393, 1456 DodsN, 1426Ramsd (p), 1680WB 228a, le Feney 1532 ib 3, Finnie 1698 Arm. The later forms indicate that the original vowel of the first el. was short; the name is therefore most probably a compound of OE , ON  finn 'coarse grass' and ēg 'land partly surrounded by water', doubtless originally referring to the meadows between Fenay Beck and its affluent, Rushfield Dike, near Fenay Bridge. Cf. Finthorpe infra .