English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Brownsea Island

Early-attested site in the Parish of Studland

Historical Forms

  • Brunkesey(e) 1241 Lib 1275 Pat 1276 Cl 1280 Ass 1302 1303 1535–43 Leland
  • Brumkeseye 1318 Ch
  • Bruncksee 1576 Hutch3
  • Brun(c)ksey c.1586 Tres 1597 DROMap
  • Broncheshe 1291 Tax
  • Bronkesye 1319 MinAcct
  • Bronkesie 1331 Douce
  • Bronkeseye 1341 DCMDeed 1792 Misc 1381
  • Bronkseye 1581 Hutch3
  • Brounkeseye 1381 Pitt 16
  • Brounk(e)see 1546,1547 Ct
  • Brownecksey Eliz Hutch3
  • Brymbesey Yle 1539 LP
  • Brow'sea, Bro'sey 1545 Hutch3
  • Brounsey alias Brunckesey Eliz ib
  • Brownesey e17 Cecil
  • Brownsea Island 1811 OS 1826 Gre
  • Branksey 1575 Saxton 1695 Camd
  • Branksea Island 1773 Bayly
  • Brenksey 1695 Camd

Etymology

Probably 'Brūnoc's island', from an unrecorded OE  pers.n. *Brūnoc , a derivative of Brūn , and ēg , as suggested in DEPN, with ile , ēg-land. Fägersten 125 follows a suggestion by Zachrisson that the first el. is an OE  *brunc , a gradation variant of an OE  *brinc which would be related to ODan  brink 'brink, edge of a bank' (v. EPN s.v.), but preservation of the long vowel favours the pers.n.

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name

Major Settlement