Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Chileseie 1086 DB

• Kilnese(y)ia, Kylnese(y)ia, Kylnesei, Kylnesay, Kylnesey 12 Font 1146–85 YChvii c.1190 Fount 1192–9 Sawl7 c.1200–1379 Font 1378 Baild 1641 PRMl

• Ald- 1256 Font

• Kylnesey in Craven 1292 Ch

• Kylneshei 1200–10 Furn

• Kilnese 1246 Ass3

• Kylnsei, Kilnsei, Kilnsey, Kilnsay c.1260 Font 1457 FountBurs 1496 FountRent 1535 VE 1587 PRCon

• Kynsaye 1562 NCWills

• Kylsaye in Craven 1591 WillY

Etymology

Ekwall regards this as a compound of an unrecorded OE  pers.n. Cynel , a derivative of Cyna , or OE  Cynehelm in a shortened form, and OE  ēg 'water-meadow' or (ge)hæg 'enclosure', since with either of these els. OE  cyln 'kiln' is impossible (being a fem. sb., gen.sg. cylne ). The second el. may, however, be OE  *sǣge 'a swamp, marsh', referring to the wide stretch of flat low-lying land alongside the R. Wharfe where the valley opens out; in that case the first el. may well be cyln , possibly denoting a lime-burning kiln. 'Marsh near the kiln.' For the affixes, v. ald 'old', Craven 1supra .