Keevil
Major Settlement in the Parish of Keevil
Historical Forms
- (on) Kefle wirtrim 964 BCS1127
- Chivele 1086 DB c.1210 HMCVari
- Chivelai 1130,1165 P
- Kivele, Kyvele 1211 RBE 1215,1217 ClR 1425 Pat
- Keyvele 1318 ib
- Kiuelea t.Hy2 Shaston
- Kiveley 1217 ClR
- Kyvelegh 1240 Cl 1284 Ipm
- Kyvelee 1268 Ass
- Kyveleye 1289 ib
- Kyveleie 1330 Inqaqd
- Kywelegh 1412 FA
- Keuele 1222 Bracton
- Keveleye 1289 Ass
- Keveleigh 1535 VE
- Kivel 1231 Cl
- Kyvel 1249 Ass
- Cuvel 1242 Fees
- Kuvele 1293 Pat
- Cuvele 1327,1397 Ipm
- Kevell 1546 LP
- Keveleigh al. Kevell 1560 Recov 1561 FF
Etymology
It may be that this is one of those names like Crowle (PN Wo 315) and such names as Acle, Bale, Eagle, etc. mentioned by Ekwall (DEPN s. v. leah) in which final le (from the dat. sg. of leah ) has developed to ModEng [əl]. Ekwall suggests that the first element is either an OE personal name Cyfa , a mutated variant of the recorded Cufa or OE cȳf , 'tub, vessel,' and that the name cȳfa -leah denoted a wood where such tubs were made.Alternatively we may suggest that the first element was the OE diminutive cȳfel from cȳf , used here perhaps of the depression in which Keevil lies. The wirtrim of the first form is from OE wyrtruma and has reference to some part of the Keevil-Steeple Ashton boundary (cf. Grundy ii, 71).