Exbourne
Major Settlement in the Parish of Exbourne
Historical Forms
- Hechesburne, Etcheborna 1086 DB(Exon)
- Echeburne
- Yekesburn(e) 1242 Fees784 1292 Ipm
- Yekesbourne 1292 Cl
- Yekkesburn(e) 1242 Fees789
- Yeksburn(e) 1297 Pat
- Hecesburn(e) 1266 Exon
- Ekesburn(e) 1285,1303 FA
- Ekesborne 1291 Tax
- Ikysbourne 1375 Exon
- Axbourne 1740 FF
Etymology
Blomé (141) is probably right in interpreting this as 'cuckoo's stream' from OE gēac and burna. We might have expected some ME forms in Yak (k )es -, cf. Yaxley (PN BedsHu 202), but Professor Ekwall notes that late WS ēa tended to become ē not only before c but also after g .