Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Ghiseburne 1086 DB

• Giselburn(e), Gyselburn(e) 12 Percy Ric1,e.13 Puds 1276 RH 1328 Banco 1338 FF

• Gyselburn(e) in Cravene Ric1 Puds

• Gisilburn 1285 KI

• Gisleburn Ric1 Puds

• Chiseb'ne 1166 P

• Giseburn(e), Gyseburn(e) 12 RegAlbiii,35 e.13 Puds 1202,1218,1227 FF 1227 Percy 1285 Baild

• Gyseburn(e) in Craven(e) 1229 Ebor 1237 RegAlbiii,36 1305 Ebor

• Gisburn(e), Gysburn(e), Gysborne 1176 Percy 1303 KF 1316 Vill 1326 Ass1 1608 PRBlt

• Gysborne in Craven 1242 Ch 1403 Pat 1587 FF

• Gisseburn, Gysseburn 1218 Percy 1363 Puds

• Gyesburn 1227 Percy

• Gisebourgh in Craven 1301 Ebor

• Gyseburgh 1428 FA

• Guysburn 1531 Testiv

• Guisborne 1664 PRGis

Etymology

It is possible that this means 'Gysla's stream' from an OE  pers.n. Gysla , suggested by Ekwall to be a derivative of the pers.n. base found in OG  Gusso and to enter into p.ns. like Gisleham and Gislingham Sf; the pers.n. could also be a Scandinavianised form of an OE  Gīsla , a hypocoristic form of a pers.n. in Gīsl - (Gīslhere , etc.) or ON  Gīsli . But it seems more appropriate to derive the first el., as Ekwall also proposed, from an OE  gysel 'gushing', a derivative of the gyse suggested for Gissage D 6, Gussage Do, and related to OHG  gusi 'gush'; it would no doubt refer to the springs just above the village where the burna or stream originates. 'Gushing stream'.For loss of -l - cf. Phonol. § 55.