Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Soland 1274–1326 WCR 1284 ADiv 1309 Ext 1323 MinAcct 1492 1534 YDi 1539 PRHfx

• Sowland 1416 YI 1695 M

• Soweland 1540 PRHfx

• Southlond 1461,1492 MinAcct

• Solland 1540 FF 1553 PRHfx

• Soolande 1543 YDi

• Sulland 1662 PREll

• Soyland(e) 1542 PRHfx 1561,1566 WillY 1578,1585 FF 1649 MinAcct

• Swelland 1634 HAS

Etymology

The modern form Soyland results from the YW development of ME short o in an open syllable to [ɔi], and whatever its origin there can be little doubt that the spelling Soland stands for ME  sŏland . A possible explanation is a compound of OE  sol 'mud, slough' and land 'district, stretch of land', Sol-land giving Sow (e )land with e.ModE vocalisation of l before a consonant (cf. Phonol. § 27) or Soland with an unusual simplification of -ll – to -l -, the latter becoming Soyland by the dialectal change already referred to (cf. Phonol. § 28). But the problems are similar to those of Hoyland i, 111supra , and a compound of ME  sogh 'swamp' and land , with the better attested simplification of -ghl - to -l -, seems more likely. The earlier forms Sow - and Sowe - are better explained from sogh -. In either case the name means 'swampy district' (in contrast to Greetland and Stainland 47, 49supra ), and doubtless refers to the often swampy moors which formerly constituted much of the township.Southlond is an inverted spelling, which was possible when South - was reduced to Sow - in p.ns. like Sowood ii, 189supra . For the last form Swelland cf. Phonol. § 34 and Soil Hill 116infra .