Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Chenaresburg 1086 DB

• Chenardesburg 1130 P

• Canardesburg(o) 1156 RBE 1157 P

• Ckanaresburg' 1205 YChix

• Cnardesburc 1159–1166 P

• Cnardeburc 1165–1166 P

• Chnaredburch 1189 Nost4

• Cnaresburg(h), Knaresburg(h), Knaresburc(h) 1120–35 YCh501 1130–40 1154–91 Nost73d 1156 RBE 1172 YCh511 1180–90 Fount l.12 Ripl 1202 FF 1215 ChR 1216 Nost5 1491 Bodl65

• Knaresbrugh 1405 Pat

• Knaresbor' 1650 ParlSurv

• Knarsburg 1457 FountBurs

• Cnarreburc(h), Knarreburc(h), Knarreburg(h) 1166–1210 P 1219,1224 Pat

• Gnareburg, Gnareburc 1175 YCh508 1177 BM 1195 FF

• Cnareburc, Knareburc, Knareburgh 1200 Cur 1203 YChix 1205 1221 Pat 1229 et freq

• Cnarresburg, Knarresburg 1233 Lib 1238 Font

• Knaveresburgh 1284 Baild

• Knasburgh 1448 NCWills

• Knasbroughe 1585 PRLds 1698 PRAll

• Knaisbrowgh 1573 PRRip

• Knaisburghe 1574 NCyWills

• Knairsb(o)rough 1672 PROt 1685 RipQS 1694 PRHmp

Etymology

The earliest spellings suggest that Knaresborough means 'Cēnheard's fortification', from the OE  pers.n. Cēnheard and burh; the burh doubtless occupied the lofty and commanding site of Knaresborough Castle overlooking the R. Nidd. The name has been greatly affected by AN influence, esp. in the shifting of the stress to the second theme of the pers.n. and the subsequent reduction of the first, a change paralleled by such p.ns. as Knayton YN 206 and Kneeton Nt 226 (both from OE  Cēngifu ), Knowsley La 113 (from Cēnwulf ), etc.; cf. Knaresford 198infra . The occasional Gn - spellings are also due to French influence (IPN 114, Zachrisson, ANInfl 138). The later Knais - spellings are dialectal.