Aston Estone, Anglo-Saxon est tun = east farm. It is not known which settlement it was east of; could it have been Wednesbury? The settlement was centred around the parish church.

Acocks Green Acock is a family name first recorded 1420. The original green was near Woodcock Lane further out along the Warwick Road from the present centre which is at the junction of Shirley Road. The later 'green' was originally a tram terminus 1932 grassed over when the trams finished after World War 2.

Adderley, local 17th-century landowners whose family name may derive from the place: possibly Aldred's leah clearing.

Allens Cross, recorded 1631

Alum Rock, uncertain, alum is a type of gypsum, which may have been been evident in a glacial erratic?; recorded as Hallam Rock 1718, Alum Rock by 1848.

Ashfurlong, ash trees + furlong ie. field, recorded 1242

Ashted, earlier Ashsted or Ashstead, was a late-18th-century development named after Dr John Ash founder of the General Hospital whose estate this was and whose house later became the church of St James the Less.

Balsall Heath Bordeshale, Anglo-Saxon Bord's healh = Bord's nook ie. slight hollow. Bord is the same name as in Bordesley. It can mean boards or planks but it is also a male personal name. Balsall Heath stands on clay and would not naturally be heathland but dense forest; It may have been cleared by charcoal burners supplying Birmingham's forges. The heath extended along the Moseley Road roughly between Belgrave Road and Edgbaston Road until enclosure with the making of the turnpike 1767.

Bartley Green Berchelai, Anglo-Saxon beorc leah = birch tree clearing; the original village centre was at Jiggins Lane/ Genners Lane.
Bedlam Wood, uncertain; places so-named usually derive from St Mary of Bethleham/ Bedlam Hospital, a lunatic asylum in London 1547. however, the name here predates Rubery Hill and Hollymoor Mental Hospitals built at the end of the 19th century.

Bearwood Anglo-Saxon baer wudu = pigs' pasture wood, possibly bear wood

Beggars Bush probably is a name indicative of poor soil, though local legend tells of a beggar buried here.

Billesley Anglo-Saxon Bill's leah = Bill's clearing. Bill may be 'bile' meaning beak(-shaped hill), or 'bill' meaning sword(-shaped hill).

Birches Green probably named the 17th-century Birch family

Birchfield may be named after birch trees or could derive from a family name; until c1850 it was spelled Birchsfields.

Birmingham Bermingeham, etc, Anglo-Saxon Beorma-ing-ham = Beorma's people's village, either followers of a man called Beorma, or a tribe called Beorma's people. It is impossible to ascertain whether a leader called Beorma (pronounced Berma) founded the settlement or whether it was founded by people named after him. The name equally evolved into Brummagem, later contracted to Brum.

Bloomsbury was probably borrowed from the London name to add prestige to the 19th-century development. Renamed Nechells Green in 1960s redevelopment.

Boldmere took its name in the mid-19th century from a lake between Court Lane and Chester Road variously known as Bowen Pool, Baldmoor, Baldmoor Lake, Bolemore Lake. Moor means boggy land.

Bordesley Bordesleie, Anglo-Saxon Bord's leah = Bord's clearing. Bord may mean boards or planks; it is also a male personal name.

Bordesley Green (medieval) la Grene de Bordeslei, Bordesley's demesne pasture ie. grazing land belonging to the lord of the manor.

Bournbrook Burnebrock, Anglo-Saxon bourn broc = Bourn brook; bourn is an earlier word also meaning brook which also has the implication of boundary.

Bournville was originally part of Bournbrook but renamed in fashionable French style by Cadbury Brothers when they moved their factory to a greenfield site here 1879.

Brandwood End Brander End, Anglo-Saxon brende wudu = burnt wood; woodland was burned to create clearing for farmland.
Bristnalls End - uncertain - brist may derive from Anglo-Saxon beorc = birch, or from bryst = a gap or pass. End denotes that it was at the far end of the manor ie. Handsworth.

Bromford Anglo-Saxon brom ford = broom (ie. the shrub) ford; broom is typical of glacial drift indicating a firm river crossing.

Brookfields The district was a mid-19th-century housing development built on the Gooch estate on Birmingham Heath and named after Sir Thomas Gooch's Brookfields House c1800 and park built overlooking Ladywood Brook culverted 1860. Pitsford Street marks the line of the drive.

Broomhall/ Broom Hall Anglo-Saxon brom halas = broom nook

Brookvale was so-named with no historical basis by Erdington Council when Lower Witton Lake and surroundings was bought as a public park c1904.

Buckland End/ usually known as Bucklands End, Bokenholt, Anglo-Saxon bocen holt = beech wood

California - Isaac Flavell returned from the USA 1842 to buy Stonehouse Farm, where he set up a brick-making business and later built the California Inn, after which the district is named.

Camp Hill Kempe Hill 1511, family name, possibly renamed by association with Prince Rupert's camp there during the Civil War 1643.
Cannon Hill is believed to be so named after royalist troops camped there 1645 before the Battle of Naseby (See CIVIL WAR).

Castle Bromwich Bramewice, Anglo-Saxon brom wic = broom (ie. the shrub) dairy farm. Castle was added to distinguish it from Little Bromwich, and possibly West Bromwich. Broom is typical of glacial drift indicating a firm river crossing; here an important ancient ford across the River Tame.

Chad Valley was named after the toy company of Johnson Brothers in Harborne in the late 19th century; the Chad Brook may be named after Saint Chad, or from shadwell = shallow/ boundary brook.

Chelmsley Wood Chelemundesleia, Anglo-Saxon Ceolmund's leah = Ceolmund's clearing; the surviving remnant of the wood at Chelmsley Wood is at B37 Chelmsley Road/ Moorend Lane (north-west corner).

Cockshutt Hill Anglo-Saxon cock sceste hyll = woodcock trap hill
Cofton Hackett Coftune, Anglo-Saxon cofa tun = cove/ sheltered place farm + Hackett, medieval family name

Colmers Farm Colemore, Anglo-Saxon Cole mor = (River) Cole marsh. The river then called the Cole is now know as the Rea; the river now called Cole is further west.

Cotteridge Cotteruge, Anglo-Saxon Cotta's hyrcg = Cotta's ridge

Cottesbrooke cottage by the brook ie. Westley Brook

Deritend Duryzatehende, Anglo-Saxon deor geat = deer/ wild animals gate - uncertain

Digbeth uncertain Anglo-Saxon dic bath = dyke pools (ie. pools at the side of the dyke), possibly dyke path or even duck bath

Druids Heath Drews Heath named after a local family in the mid-19th century

Duddeston Dodeston, Anglo-Saxon Dudd's tun = Dudd's farm

Eachelhurst Echelhurst, Anglo-Saxon echels hyrst = land added on, wooded hill

Edgbaston Celboldestone. This Domesday Book spelling is probably due incorrect copying: Egebaldestone is more likely. Anglo-Saxon Ecgbeald's tun = Ecgbeald's farm

Erdington Hardintone, Anglo-Saxon Eardred ing tun = Eardred's people's farm, either followers of a man called Eardred or a tribe called Eardred's people. Hardintone also evolved into Yenton.

Four Dwellings was so-named before 1834, named after 4 houses in close proximity in an otherwise unpopulated area; Four Dwellings School is on the site of Four Dwellings Farm.

Four Oaks self-explanatory and so-named by 1725

Fox Hollies Medieval, Anglo-Saxon atte Holies recorded 1275, at the hollies. The Fox family bought the farm from the atte Holies family in the 15th century.

Frankley Franchelie, Anglo-Saxon Franca's leah = Franca's clearing

Glebe Farm was bought by Matthew Boulton in the late 18th century and sold on to the vicar of Yardley whence the name, glebe being land owned by the priest. The moated site was probably abandoned when a late-Georgian house was built here as Glebe Farm House, demolished c1934. This area was known as The Riddings up to the 19th century, a medieval name indicating land cleared (of trees) for agriculture.

Golden Hillock was a fieldname 1760 and probably much earlier, very likely named after a hillside covered with broom and/ or gorse, plants typical of heathland. It was later the name of a farm.
Good Knaves End named pre-1800 at Westbourne Road/ Harborne Road/ Richmond Hill Road on Chad Hill - origin unknown
Gospel Oak medieval, possibly earlier = a site at a significant oak on the Yardley boundary with Lyndon, probably at B27 Gospel Lane south of Leysdown Road, where the gospel would be read at the Rogationtide beating of the parish bounds. The tree, which would have been marked with a cross carved in its bark, was felled c1846.

Gosta Green Gorsty Green, Anglo-Saxon gorst green = gorse/ furze (ie. the shrub), open pasture. Gorse is natural to land covered by glacial drift.

Gravelly Hill self-explanatory, medeival, possibly dating from Anglo-Saxon times

Great Barr Barre, not an Anglo-Saxon name but an Ancient British Celtic survival, barr = hill top. Great as opposed to Perry Barr which must have been a smaller settlement.

Greet Anglo-Saxon greot = gravel. There was a ford on firmer ground across the River Cole here.

Hall Green originally Hawe Green, named after common pasture near the medieval moated house of the Haw/ Hawe family at the junction of B28 School Road/ Fox Hollies Road; the name was first recorded 1562 but only became established for the area after the opening of Hall Green station 1907 and the enparishment of the Church of the Ascension 1908.

Handsworth Honesworde, Anglo-Saxon Hune's worth = Hune's farmstead

Harborne Horeborne, Anglo-Saxon horu burna = dirty stream

Hawkesley Hauckeslowe, Anglo-Saxon heafoc leah = hawk's clearing; Hawk is a male personal name.

Hazelwell, probably self-explanatory, recorded 1325.

Hay Mills Anglo-Saxon gehaeg mills = fenced/ hedged land; Hugh de la Haye, the family name taken from the place name, is recorded 1171. + water mills (on the River Cole); the mill/s were here from medieval times.

Headley Heath Haethleage 849, Anglo-Saxon head? + leah + clearing
Henburys high burgh ie. the implication is of a fortified settlement on a hill. The later name Highbury was given by Joseph Chamberlain after his London home (and coincidentally has the same meaning).

Heybarnes Haybern 1370 Anglo-Saxon geheag bernes or = barley-house enclosure or enclosure by the brook

Highgate is most likely a London name introduced in the early 19th century to give prestige to the development; it is possible medieval heyne gaet meaning high road.

Highters Heath Hayters Heath 1549 - family name

Hockley, Anglo-Saxon Hocca's leah = Hocca's clearing

Hodge Hill Hodge is a family name

Hurst Green Anglo Saxon hyrst = woody hill

Key Hill Kayes Hill, from a pre-1700 family name

Kings Heath Kingesheth, the king's heath (part of Kings Norton manor)

Kings Norton Nortune, Anglo-Saxon nord tun = north farm, north of Bromsgrove of which it was a part, a royal manor from Domesday until 1804

Kingshurst Kingeshurste, Anglo-Saxon king's hyrst = kings's wooded hill (part of the royal manor of Coleshill at Domesday)

Kingstanding an ancient barrow ie. Bronze Age grave, later used by the king as a 'standing', a place where deer are driven past for the king to hunt

Kitts Green Kitt Green 1495, family name

Langley le Lonkeley 1253 Anglo-Saxon lang leah = long field/ clearing
Lea Hall/ Lea Village 1275 from Anglo-Saxon leah = forest clearing, hall
Lee Bank was so-named after early 1960s slum clearance and redevelopment from Lee Crescent which itself was named after the 18th-century landowner; the estate has been redeveloped again from 1999.

Ley Hill atte Leye 1275, la Lee, Anglo-Saxon leah hyll = forest clearing hill

Lickey uncertain; Anglo-Saxon leac hege = flat stone enclosure; exposed rock can be seen on Bilberry Hill for instance; enclosure may refer to a defined area of forest

Lifford la Ford, ford (across the River Rea)

Lightwoods Park Lythewood, Anglo-Saxon liht wudu = light wood

Little Bromwich 13th century Parva Bromwich (Latin = little); by 1658 was also being called Ward End. Its connection with nearby Castle Bromwich is uncertain.

Lordswood, literally the lord's wood, property of the lords of the manor of Harborne; the woodland was bounded by Hagley Road, Blakeney Avenue, Lordswood Road.

Lozells - uncertain - 1546 Lorres Hill or Lowsill - it may be a personal name ie. Lor's wood?

Lyndon 1221 Linde, Anglo-Saxon lin = lime tree, dene = valley; by 1262 Lynedene = lime tree valley 

Lyndon Green the green/ pasture belonging to Lyndon

Marsh Hill a self-explanatory topographical name in use by 1804

Marston Green Anglo-saxon mersc = marsh + tun = farm

Maypole - a tall pole to direct travellers stood here which was later also used as a maypole.

Mere Green In 1655 Thomas Fox was given permission by Sir Robert Holte to make two pools near Erdington, Marle Pool and Mere Pool; the word mere means pool.

Mere Green (near Four Oaks) -the green/ pasture land by the mere ie. pool

Metchley Michelhaye 1350, Anglo-Saxon micel gehaeg = small hedge/ fenced field

Middleton Hall Middeltune, Anglo-Saxon middle tun = middle farm (between Kings Norton and Northfield)

Monyhull Monhull 1237, Anglo-Saxon Manna's (or Munda's) hyll = Manna's hill; this name may possibly be a rare Celtic survival - monadha = hill

Moor Green 13th century Mora, Anglo-Saxon mor green = marshy open pasture

Moseley Museleie, Anglo-Saxon mus leah = fieldmouse clearing ie. small clearing; an Anglo-Saxon joke?

Moundsley 13th century Mundesley, Anglo-Saxon Mund's or Munda's leah = forest clearing/ field

New Town/ Aston New Town The name dates from 1835 to distinguish the new developments from the old village of Aston which was centred on the church.

New Oscott When Oscott College was built 1835-1837 the old Roman Catholic centre at Maryvale, Oscott became known as Old Oscott to distinguish it from the New Oscott. Oscott = Anglo-Saxon Osa's cot = Osa's cottage

Northfield Northefeld, Anglo-Saxon nord feld = north open land (feld did not mean field but open land as opposed to forest); north of Kings Norton. This may have been land already cleared when Saxon settlers arrived.

Olton Oltun, Anglo-Saxon eald tun = old farm. Olton was Ulverley, Wulfhere's clearing until Solihull new town was created c1200

Oscott Oscote, Anglo-Saxon Osa's cot = Osa's cottage - see also New Oscott

Pineapple 1678. Pineapples were first brought to England in the early 18th century; gate posts topped with a stone carved in a pine-cone design were fashionable and thereafter called pineapples; presumably there was one such at Pineapple Farm; Pineapple Estate was named after the farm and was laid out in the early 1930s.

Pype Pipa, Anglo-Saxon pipa = water channel; Pype was a manor centred on a moated site at Kingsbury Road/ Bromford Lane.

Pype Hayes is presumably so-named to distinguish it from Pype. Pipa, Anglo-Saxon pipa + gehaeg = water channel + fenced field; Plants Brook runs north-west of Pype Hayes.

Quinton queen's tun = queen's farm (medieval), was called Ridgacre at Domesday - Anglo-Saxon hrycg acre = ridge acre. Which queen is not known.

Reddicap Heath In 1763 there was a farm here known as Mother Red-Cap Farm; cap may indicate a look-out or beacon.

Rednal Wreodanhale 780, Anglo-Saxon wreodan healh = thicket nook

Robin Hood dates from c1800 and is probably a misreading of Robin Wood which stretched from Stratford Road/ Highfield Road to the River Cole at Trittiford.

Rotton Park (sometimes Rotten), Rotton first record 1275; Parc de Rotton juxta (near) Birmingham 1307; Anglo-Saxon rot tun = cheerful farm. The medieval park was a private deer park of the de Birminghams.

Row Heath Anglo-Saxon ruh = rough ie. not cultivated

Rubery Robery, Anglo-Saxon ruh beorg = rough hills

Saltley Sautleaga, Anglo-Saxon sealuht leah = willow trees clearing; willows are prevalent on wetland near rivers. The original settlement may have been in the Adderley Road area near where the River Rea then flowed. See also Over Saltley

Sandhills self-explanatory, was the name given to the area around Alma Street; the sand was used for building Aston New Town from the 1850s.
Sandpits recorded from 1690; this was a sandstone quarry, much of it used for canal building.

Sarehole Sare + Anglo-Saxon holm = flood meadow (medieval); the origin of the first part is unknown - Sare? Searu? a personal name?

Selly Hill Escelie, Anglo-Saxon scylf leah = shelf of land clearing

Selly Oak The original oak tree was cut down after it became dangerous 1909. (See History of Selly Oak by James Hyland)

Selly Wick either from Anglo-Saxon wic = dairy farm, or a very rare (for Birmingham) Latin survival vicus = settlement

Shard End le Sherd, Anglo-Saxon sceard = gap (in a hedge)

Sheldon Scheldone, Anglo-Saxon scylf dun = shelf hill (ie. a flat-topped hill)

Shenley Fields Anglo-saxon scene leah = bright clearing + fields, one of the large common open fields of Northfield.

Showell Green derives from Anglo-Saxon se' weles =seven wells or springs

Slade derives from Anglo-Saxon slaed = a little valley with the implication of boggy; Slade Waste is recorded 1620, Slade Common 1633.

Small Heath Small Hethe 1461; originally at the junction of Green Lane/ Coventry Road

Snailes Green was a small settlement dating from before the 18th century at Westfield Road/ Richmond Hill Road.

Soho was named after an inn on Soho Hill; on the inn sign was a hunstman from whose mouth came the word Soho = Tally ho!

South Yardley Acocks Green Station was originally known as Acocks Green & South Yardley station ie. the station at which to diembark for Acocks Green and South Yardley. The southernmost point in Yardley manor was actually at Yardley Wood some 3 miles away, but the name of the railway station renamed the district surrounding it.

Solihull Anglo-Saxon sylig hyll = muddy hill, possibly pigsty hill

Spaghetti Junction is the nickname given to Junction 6 of the M6/ A38M Aston Expressway built 1972, at the time of construction the most complicated multi-level junction in the world.

Sparkbrook The Sparke family lived here from 1275 but whether they were named after the Spark Brook or the stream after them is debatable. It would mean a sparkling stream as a river name. Sparke Green was the area bounded by the Stratford Road, Stoney Lane, Fulham Road. By 1896 when it was culverted the Spark Brook had become virtually an open sewer and Stoney Lane was widened over it to take tramlines.

Springfield There was a medieval holy well/ spring said to be a cure for eye ailments between Springfield Road and the River Cole.

Sparkhill self-explanatory, the hill above Sparkbrook

Stechford Sticheford, Anglo-Saxon styfic ford = stump ford (across the River Cole); it became Stechford when the railway company misspelt the station name 1844.

Streetly from Anglo-Saxon strete leah = Roman road clearing (ie. Icknield Street)

Stirchley Stretlet Streete, the same derivation as Stirchley: Anglo-Saxon strete leah = Roman road clearing (ie. Icknield Street)

Stockfield = stile field

Stockland Green recorded 1741 but must be much older; stock = cattle

Summerfield was named after Summerfield House, formerly in Summerfield Park, a late17th-century estate. The name may be medieval and derive from pasture flooded in winter, used for for grazing in summer.

Sutton Coldfield Sutone, Anglo-Saxon suth tun = south farm (south of Lichfield or Tamworth?); Anglo-Saxon col feld = charcoal (possibly cool/ cold ie. barren), open land

Swanshurst recorded 1221 Anglo-Saxon swan (or swann) hyrst = swain's, peasant's (just possibly swan's) hill; this was common pasture in the Middle Ages.

Ten Acres is a 19th-century development so-called after a fieldname.

Tinkers Farm is a family name recorded here 1275.

Tile Cross - a cross is shown 18th-century Dugdale's map at Tyle Cross or Tylers Cross; presumably tiles were made here using the plentiful local clay.

Tower Hill may be named after a watchtower, or windmill?

Treeford Treaford is a family name recorded as Trafford 1485

Trittiford Anglo-Saxon Titta's or Tyda's ford, sometimes Titterford, renamed Trittiford by the corporation 1913 when the area round the pool was made into a public park.

Turfpits Turf has the implication of good grassland, in use by 1817.

Turves Green good-grass green

Tyburn c1730 taken from London's Tyburn, a place of execution from Norman times until the late 18th century. The implication is that this was also a place where a gallows stood but of that there is no evidence.

Tyseley Anglo-Saxon Tyssa's leah = Tyssa's forest clearing. This may be a rare and late pagan survival; Tiw's clearing - Tiw was an Anglo-Saxon god of war.

Walkers Heath recorded as le Walkerishethe from the family name 1314

Walmley, Warmelegh, Anglo-Saxon warm leah = warm forest clearing, south-facing?

Ward End recorded as a family name 1315 and used as the name for part of Little Bromwich

Warstock, le Harstok, Anglo-Saxon har stocc = boundary post, where the manors of Kings Norton, Solihull and Yardley met, at the corner of Warstock Road and Warstock Lane.

Warstone, Horenstonfeld, Anglo-Saxon har stan = boundary stone (where the manors of Aston, Birmingham and Handsworth met; the hoarstone, a glacial erratic can still be seen in Warstone Cemetery, Warstone Lane B18.)

Washwood Heath, Wasshewode, Anglo-Saxon gewaesc wudu = ground that is washed over by water, wood; the stream that now runs through Ward End Park is called Wash Brook.

Wells Green from the Wells family

Weoley Castle, Weleye, Anglo-Saxon weoh leah = heathen temple clearing - a rare reference to paganism

West Heath heathland on the west side of Kings Norton manor

Whitehouse Common self-explanatory, in use by 1725

Wiggins Hill Wicgingahyll, Anglo-Saxon Wicga's, ing = people/ family, hyll = hill

Wilkes Green family name

Winson Green, Wynesdon recorded 1327, Anglo-Saxon Wine's dun = Wine's hill; may derive from winn dun = meadow hill

Wishaw, Witscaga, Anglo-Saxon wiht sceaga = curved thicket/ small wood

Witton, Witone, Anglo-Saxon wic tun = dairy farm - see also Over Witton

Woodgate Valley The valley is that of the Bournbrook; what the significance of the gate in the wood is not known; it is possible medieval wudu gaet = wood road.

Worlds End denotes land beyond the area where people live.

Wythall, Wyhtehalle, Anglo-Saxon withig worth = willow tree enclosure/ farm

Wylde Green wild may derive from wild meaning uncultivated, or from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning machinery of some kind, a windmill?

Yardley Fields the open strip fields of Yardley

Yardley Wood woodland belonging to Yardley

Place Names of Worcestershire
A Mawer & F M Stenton 1927

see also  
Birmingham Place names
McKenna
and books by Margaret Gelling