Dechy () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.INSEE commune file
Population
Toponymy The town has been named, Diptiacum in 899, (Cartulary of Saint-Amand, Miroeus), Diptiacum in 906, Diciacum in 1097, Diptiacum in 1107, Dichis in 1181 (Chronique Gislebert), Dici in 1205Statistique archéologique du département du Nord, op. cit. en bibliographie, p. 612-613.
It probably comes from an old *Deppiacum, based of the gallic name DeppiosAlbert Dauzat and Charles Rostaing, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de lieux en France, Librairie Guénégaud Paris VIe, reissue 1979, p. 241b. followed from the suffix -acumAlbert Dauzat and Charles Rostaing, op. cit. (from the gallic -acon) of location and property, with the global meaning « property, farm of Deppios ». The suffix -(i)acum has generally finished as -y in the North (-ecque in the previous dutch speaking area and -eke in flemish), the plural form, appeared later -iacas to -ies.
History Middle Age The archeological statistics of the Nord departement of 1867 indicate:Statistique archéologique du département du Nord, op. cit. en bibliographie, p. 613. Since 7th century, Dechy containing maybe Férin belonged to the Saint-Amand Abbay. The count of Ostrevent had advocatus that was explaining Dechy and Férin of Hainaut county, although near of Douai. A hospital was already existing in 1218, the patient care were made by the sisters of the Abbaye of Beaulieu in Sin-le-Noble, sur Gallica. In 1205, the abbe Jean gives to his vassals of Dechy and Férin a penal law copied of the one in Douai.
Heraldry
See also Communes of the Nord department
References