How Ealing got its name, although it looks nothing like it

Ealing has a very interesting history behind its name – and it’s not quite as straightforward as you might think. Take Southwark in south London, its name can be traced back to “the defensive work of the south”, which makes sense.

But it turns out that Ealing’s name comes from the word ‘Gillingas’ – meaning the people of Gilla – believed to be an Anglo-Saxon settler.

But with the passage of time the word was corrupted, the area being previously called Yealing, Zelling and Eling. It eventually became Ealing as we know it, which became the standardized spelling in the 19th century.

READ MORE: The forgotten tram network that linked central London to the suburbs

The first maps of the area were made in the 18th century and show what the parish looked like then. It consists mainly of rural areas, as historically the main occupation of the people was in agriculture. But there was a major road running through it, from east to west, and one that is extremely popular today.

We now know it as Uxbridge Road and it ran east towards London and west towards Oxford. It was bordered by a multitude of inns, where horses could be changed and travelers refreshed.

There were the Feathers, the Bell, the Green Man and the Old Hats. Old Ealing was also home to quite a few settlements, many of which were along what is now St Mary’s Road.

And in the center of the parish near the church. There were also houses at Little Ealing, Ealing Dean, Haven Green, Drayton Green and Castle Bear Hill.

But only recently, as in the Victorian era, did Ealing gain city status. This led to the construction of roads, sewage, schools and public buildings.

Do you have a story? Please contact [email protected]

Don’t miss the biggest news from West London. Sign up to our MyWestLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.