Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hæðel-sǽ c.1030 YCh7

• media Hatelsaia c.1180 Pont

• Mediana Haþelsay 1190–1210 YCh497

• Medilhathels' 1247 Selby

• Hathelsay(e), Hathelsey(e) 1279–81 QW 1280 Ass 1285 KI 1301 ADii 1303 KF 1428 FA

• Midel Hathelsey(e) 1303 YI 1387 ADi

• Midle Hathelsey(e) 1589 FF

• Hedlesia, Hadlesia 1191,1193 P

• Halsay 1196 P

• Hausay(e), Hausey(e), Hausai 1196 P 13 1230 Ebor

• Media Hausai 13 Selby

• Middel Hausai 1264 Ch 1293 QW

• Mid Hausai 1268 YDxvi,92

• Hathelesey(e) 13 Selby

• Middel Hathelesey(e) 1304 BM

• Hatheleshay 1250 YI

• Hathelesye 1288 ib

• Middelhathesleye 1303 Pat

• Middell Haddysley 1538 FF

• Haddelsay 1426 Testii

• Haddilsey 1536 MinAcct

• Medillhadelsey 1501 WillY

• the chapell of Hadylsey 1546 YChant

• Chappel(l) Had(d)lesey 1605 FF 1624 Comm

• Had(d)lesey Chappell 1641 Rates

• Chaple Had(d)lesey 1686 SelbyW

• Chapel or Middle Haddlesey 1822 Langd

Etymology

In the spellings of this name as well as East and West Haddlesey 19, 20infra , Hausay arises from OE  Haðel -sǽ through AN  loss of medial -th - (cf. IPN 109); this loss first produces Halsay which then undergoes AN vocalisation of -l -. The first el. of these p.ns., as well as Halton 163 infra and perhaps the f.n. Hathelwelmor i, 275 supra , is an OE  hæðel , but its origin and meaning are obscure. The only suggestion to be made is that the word is hāðol or hǣðel , PrGerm  *haiþula - or *haiþila -, a derivative of the root of OE  hāð or hǣð 'heath'; either form would undergo shortening of the long vowel in the compound p.ns. (cf. the suffixes -el 3 , -ol , EPN i, 149, ii, 54).It would mean something like 'heather' or even 'heathland' (cf. the formation and signification of words like brēmel 'bramble', tǣsel 'teasel', þefel 'thorn-bush', þȳfel 'bush'). The second el. is OE  sǣ 'sea', but probably here with the older sense of 'pond' or 'marsh'; the places are in the low-lying ground along the R. Aire. This one is distinguished as 'Middle' or 'Chapel' (v. chapel ) from its chapel (cf. 1341 Baild 41). v. Addenda.