Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Papeleia 1189–1216 Calv

• Papelay 1326 Thn

• Popeley(a), Popelay 12 YCh 16 Arm Hy3 YDi 1288 BM 1333 YDvii 1335,1370 FF 1605

• Popeley Place 1437 BM

• Popley 1487 TestLds 1564 Visit

• Poplae 1549 WillY

Etymology

Popeley Ho, Papeleia 1189–1216 Calv (p), Papelay 1326Thn 14(p), Popeley (a ), Popelay 12 (16) YCh 1636, Hy 3 Arm (p), 1288 YD i(p), 1333 BM, 1335, 1370 YD viiet freq to 1605 FF, Popeley Place 1437 BM, Popley 1487 TestLds, 1564 Visit, Poplae 1549 WillY. 'Papa's clearing or glade', v. leah . OE  Pāpa is recorded once as the byname of Ædricus Pape and in ME  as le Pope (Tengvik 262–3); it is also found in the OE  p.n. papan holt BCS 596 and some other p.ns. such as Pavenham Bd 36. It is doubtless OE  pāpa 'pope' from Lat  pāpa 'father, pope', which is also the source of the ON  byname Pávi and probably of OG  Papa , Papo .