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.

Harbury

Major Settlement in the Parish of Harbury

Historical Forms

  • (æt) Hereburgebyrig 1002 ASWills c.1100 KCD710 1004 c.1100
  • Herborbeia c.1080 France
  • Herburbiria c.1165 AddCh
  • Erburgeberie, Edburberie, Erburberie 1086 DB
  • Edburbire 1247 Ass
  • Hereburebiri t.Hy1 Kenilworth
  • Herebureburi 1185 Templars
  • Herberburia 1170 Ch 1314 Pat 1397
  • Herburberie 1200 Cur
  • Herburbure 1201 FF 1484 ADiii
  • Herbrebury 1279 Nott
  • Herburbury 1535 VE
  • Hurburburye 1547 Pat
  • Helburberi, Hertburberi, Hertbereberi 1200 Cur
  • Herbery 1299 Ipm
  • Herbur(y) 1334,1373 ADiv
  • Herburbyry 1449 ADii
  • Herburgh 1428 FA
  • Harbery al. Harburbury 1553 FF
  • Harbury al. Hungry Harbury 1740 Recov

Etymology

The name means 'burhbelonging to a woman named Hereburh .' No trace of any camp or fortification remains now.Dugdale (204–5) suspected the presence of a woman's name in this name. For the epithet cf. Hungry Bentley (Db), Hungry Hatton (Sa). 'The land in the parish is poor and unproductive' (Turner, Shakespeare 's Land 306).

Places in the same Parish