Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Middelismor(e), Middelesmor(e) c.1190 Yorke 1249 FF

• Blt Comp, Mildesmore 1198 Fount

• Mid(e)lesmore, Myd(e)lesmore 1249 FF 1295 Percy 1322 Cl 1343 BM 1609 FF

• Mid(e)lesmore, Myd(e)lesmore 1249 FF 1295 Percy 1343 BM 1609 FF

• Middlesmor(e), Myddlesmor(e) 1345 Dugdv 1581,1619 FF

Etymology

Middlesmoor, Middelismor (e ), Middelesmor (e )c. 1190Yorke , 1249 FF, 1296 Blt Comp , Mildesmore 1198 Fount, Mid (e )lesmore , Myd (e )lesmore 1249 FF, 1295 Percy (p), 1322 Cl, 1343 BMet freq to 1609 FF, Mid (e )lesmore , Myd (e )lesmore 1249 FF, 1295 Percy (p), 1343 BMet freq to 1609 FF, Middlesmor (e ), Myddlesmor (e )1345 Dugd v, 1581, 1619 FF. It is possible that this means 'Midele's moorland' (v. mōr ), the first el. being an OE  pers.n. Mid (e )le , which appears in Middlesborough YN 160; the origin of this pers.n. is unknown, but the one spelling with Mildes - suggests that it could be a metathesised form of OE  milde 'mild, gentle' which is apparently the source of the OE  fem. pers.n. Milde (Feilitzen 328, also in Mildenhall Sf, W 301). There are, however, other Middlesmoors infra , and it is more likely that these p.ns. have a significant word as the first el. For Middlesborough Ekwall has suggested OE  midleste 'middlemost' (as in Middlewich Ch, Mildestvic 1086 DB) and this is the most satisfactory explanation for the Middlesmoors (vi, 103, 108, 231, 235), as well as other p.ns. like Middlesber vi, 130, 146, 159, Middlesdales vi, 129 infra .