Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (estate called) Dog(g)wells 1684 ERO

• Dogwell 1811 OS

Etymology

, 1838TA , (estate called ) Dog (g )wells 1684ERO ,Dogwell 1811 OS , cf. Dogwell Fd 1838TA , perhaps ' spring frequentedby dogs ' , from dogga and wella , or a manorial name from a family called Dog (g )well , cf. John Doggewill 1497 Ct ( mentioned in connection with Loders par . infra ) ; however the surname may be that evidenced in earlier Do sources in the f.n. Doggevellesheyeshurne c. 1325 in Wootton G . par . 3 273 , and as Henry Doggenel (probably for Doggeuel ) 1332 SR ( a taxpayer in Askerswell par . supra ) , both of which suggest an origin from ME  dog and fell ' skin, hide ' , probably descriptive of ' one who wore some piece of apparel made of dog - skin ' , cf. the analogous ME  surnameDoggeskin 1247 ( Reaney - Wilson 137 ) , Dogskyn 1298 ( Jönsjö 81 ) .