Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bingheleia, Bingelei 1086 DB

• Bingalaia 1130–9 YChvi

• Bingelay, Byngelay, Byngelai(a), Byngel(e)', Byngeleg', Byngelei(a), Byngeley(e) Hy1 Dugdvi 1156–85,1164–75 YChvi 1185 Templar 1188–1202 YChviii 1190–1200 Kirkst 1194 P l.12 Ch 1311 Arth 13 1208 ClR 1212 YDvi 1346 Pat 1437

• Byngeley(e) in Eyrdale 1275 Ebor

• Binggeleia, Binggelay, Binggeley 1182–5 YCh199 1293 QW 1327 SR

• Bing-, Bingle(y), Binglay 1303 Aid 1339 Ass5d 1368 FF 1379 PT 1386 YDvi 1641 Rates

Etymology

An OE  runic spelling Bingaleahes on the Bingley font (Haigh in YAJ ii, 54) has no authority (cf. W. G. Collingwood in YAJ xxiii, 141–3). The name is probably a contracted form of an OE  Bynninga - lēah 'forest-glade or clearing of Bynna's folk', from the OE  pers.n. Bynna (Redin 61) as the basis of the folk-name in -ingas, and lēah .The contraction of -in (n )ing - to -ing - is paralleled by OE  cyning , l.OE  ring , and by Finghall YN 247 (from Fininghale ). A similar contraction is to be assumed, if they are from Bynninga -, in Bingfield (Nb 22) and Bingham (Nt 220, where the choice between Bynninga - and an OE  bing 'hollow' or with some other undetermined meaning is fully discussed). The objection to OE  bing in these names is the regular early occurrence of spellings with medial -e -. The choice is difficult, but would if anything favour the OE folk-name.