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.

Tyseley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Yardley

Historical Forms

  • Tisseleye 1327 SR
  • Tiseley c.1830 O

Etymology

The pers. name Tyssa is not on record in OE  but it, or a strong form Tyssi , lies behind Tisbury which is Tyssesburg in the letters of St Boniface (Stevenson MSS) and Tyssebirig in BCS 591. Hence 'Tyssa's clearing,' v. leah . The modern pronunciation is clearly Artificial. A name Tissi from Tīdsige would be easier to explain and it should be added that there are no later forms in Tusse - for Tisbury (PN W 162), and this again points to Tisse . It is however difficult to get by the 8th cent. form Tysses -.