Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Berchesford 1086 DB

• Barkisford, Barkesford 1260 Court l13 Chol 1296 Plea 1579 Chol

• Barksford 1296 Plea

• Barxeford 1457 Chol

• le manoire de Barkesford 1398 ib

• Barkeford 1307 Plea E3 Rental 1546 Dugd

• Barcford 1315 Plea 16 Barnes1

• Basforth 1392 Pat

• Basforde 1488 ChRR

• Barkesforde alias Basforde 1579 Chol

• Basford 1521 ib

• Basford bridge 1621 Sheaf

• Basford Hall 1724 NotCestr

• Barsford 1466 Comb 1478 Chol 1488,1490 ChRR

• Barsforde 1512 Chol

• Baronsford 1479 Chol

• Backisford, Backesford, Bakkesforde 1508,1518,1528 Chol

Etymology

The final el. is ford 'a ford'. The first el. is obscure. It may represent the same OE  pers.n. Beorcol as appears in Basford and Baswich St. In those p.ns., Dr J. P. Oakden reports forms without -l - appearing amongst those with it. In the Ch material -l - never appears, and this supports Ekwall's suggestion (DEPN) for Basford Ch, i.e. beorc (gen.sg. beorce ) 'a birch tree', with an intrusive -s -, as in Berkesden Hrt 171. However, the early and persistent -a - spelling is against beorc , and the ON  pers.n. Bǫrkr , Barkr , with ME  gen.sg. -es , might well explain this Ch p.n., cf. Barkisland WRY 357. If this is so, Basford (and possibly also Batherton 50infra ) is to be interpreted as an instance of Scand influence.