Suckley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Suckley
Historical Forms
- Suchelei, Sucheleya 1086 DB 1169 P
- Succhele(ia) 1174 P 1222 BM
- Suggelega 1180,1181,1182,1190 P
- Secheli 1194 Cur, P, both (p)
- Suckele, Sukkele(ya) 1242 P 1275 ChancR 1280 SR 1401–5 Wigorn
- Sokele(y) 1288 Wigorn 1335 Pat
- Soukkeleye 1349 Heref
- Sokkeleye 1351 Heref
Etymology
This name can only be explained if we bear in mind the confusion that arose in English from the existence of two verbs, from different stems, sūcan and sūgan , both meaning 'to suck.'There was an OE pers. name Sucga and a bird-name sugga or sugge . Side by side with Sucga doubtless arose a form Succa , with unvoiced consonant and this was probably the original form of the first element in Suckley. Later, confusion with Sucga took place, assisted by the common voicing of intervocalic consonants and gave rise to sporadic forms in Sugge , cf. also S (o )uggenhyde in Droitwich AD iii.