Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wigefall 13 Brett

• Wiggefall 1330 ib

• Wigfall, Wygfall 1379 PT 1407 Brett

• Wigfall als. Hilsland 1594 FF

• Wigfall als. Hillesland 1611 FF

Etymology

Wigfield Fm, Wigefall 13 Brett, Wiggefall 1330 ib, Wigfall , Wygfall 1379 PT (p), 1407 Brett, Wigfall als. Hilsland 1594 FF, Wigfall als. Hillesland 1611 FF. The first el. is OE  Wicga or the rare OE  wicg 'a horse', ME  wig , later widge 'a beast of burden' (cf. NED s.v. widge ) or the cognate ON  poetic vigg 'steed', but OE  wigga 'beetle' is also possible.The second el. is (ge)fall 'place where trees have been felled'; the name is similar in meaning to Horsefall iii, 182infra . The change of -fall to -field occurs also in Waterfield ii, 40infra .