34 USE AND ORIGIN OF SURNAMES. 
The surnames above enumerated, comprise but 
a few of the class; but I think the number is suf- 
ficient to show, that they were appropriated to 
the localities and tenements called /eys, before 
they were used as surnames. It appears probable 
however, that in some instances the leys took 
their name from the owners or tenants, Kers/ey, 
Dodsley, Willesley, §c. The etymology of the 
greater number of them is obscure. 
There are several terminations used in the 
composition of surnames, and they were applied 
to form them upon a similar principle with /ey. 
The most frequently occurring are the following : 
Field, Stead, Croft, Yard, Stow, Dale, Combe, 
Bourne, Shaw, Ford, Gate, Brook, Bridge, 
Well, Den. The meaning of others of the same 
kind is less obvious : Lowe, Hithe, Hurst, Twisle, 
Hulme or Holme, Thwaite, Clough, Halgh, By 
or Bye, Ney, Sey, Cross, Worth, Wick, &c. Se.* 
I include in the next class of surnames those 
* Towe, means a rising ground; Hithe, a small haven; 
Hurst, a thicket of trees; I think Thwaite, signifies to ex- 
change or traffic; Clough, a precipitate descent; the others 
rather uncertain——Many of the words in the two last periods 
are used for names singly, as well as in composition. 
