English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Whelpley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Whiteparish

Historical Forms

  • Welplega 1166 P
  • Walpleia 1196 Cur 1198 Abbr
  • Welpele 1200 Cur
  • Welpeleg' 1225 Pat
  • Welpeleye 1242 Fees 1255 RH
  • Whelpeleg' 1275 FF
  • Whelpele 1321 Ass
  • Whelpelegh 1322 FF 1332 SR

Etymology

Whelpley (6″) is Welplega 1166 P, Walpleia 1196 Cur, 1198 Abbr, Welpele 1200 Cur, Welpeleg '1225 Pat, Welpeleye 1242 Fees, 1255 RH, Whelpeleg '1275FF , Whelpele 1321Ass , Whelpelegh 1322FF , 1332SR .Perhaps 'clearing or wood of the cubs or whelps' (OE  hwelp ).But the first element might be a personal name, a nickname from the animal name. Cf. Whelpington (Nb).