Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (to) Sceobyrig 894 ASC c.900

• Essoberiam 1086 DB

• Soberiam ib.

• Soberia 12th France

• Soberia Parva 1261 BM

• Sobiri(e) 1195 P t.Hy3 RBE

• Soberi, Sobir(y) 1228,1288 FF

• Sobyre c.1230 Bodl

• Sobery 1238 SR 1294 Ipm

• Nortsobyr' 1248 Ass

• Sioberi 1189–90 Dugdv

• Scobir(ia) 1198,1240 FF

• Nord Scobire 1202 ib

• Nortshobyry 1254 Pat 1428 FA

• Chobir' 1230 P

• Schober(i), Schobery 1247 FF 1303 FA 1317 BM 1401 Pat

• Schobr' 1254 FF

• Little Sobbiry 1285 FF

• Soubery 1339 Fine

• Northshowbury 1473 IpmR

• Showbery 1547 FF

• Subury 1552 EAS(OS)v

• Schebiri 1313 Pap

• Great Shoreby 1352 Pat

• Shuberie 1604 EAvii

• Shoebery alias Lytle Showbery alias North Showbery 1607 EAix

• The Shoo (t. Hy 8 Map)

Etymology

OE  scēo , 'shoe,' and burh, probably because the fortified position was originally situated on or near a shoe-shaped piece of land, represented, perhaps, by the sandbank called The Shoo (t. Hy 8Map ). v. Maplin Light supra 18. North is Little and South is Great Shoebury.