Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (le) Burmantoftes 1427,1476 Bodl182–3 1540 MinAcct 1603 ChLds

• Gre(a)t Burmantoftes, lyttle Burmantoftes 1545,1561 TestLds

• Burgh(e)man Tofts 1511 YDxii,231

• Burgh(e)man Tostes 1544 FF

• Burningtoftes 1578 PRLds

• Burnitoftes, Burnytoftes 1585,1607,1612 ib

• Burmitops 1729 LdsM

• Hugh Burman 1425 Rent19

Etymology

Burmantofts, (le ) Burmantoftes 1427, 1476Bodl 182–3, 1540MinAcct 174, 1603 ChLds, Gre (a )t Burmantoftes , lyttle Burmantoftes 1545, 1561 TestLds, Burgh (e )man Tofts 1511 YD xii, 231, Burgh (e )man Tostes 1544 FF, Burningtoftes 1578 PRLds, Burnitoftes , Burnytoftes 1585, 1607, 1612 ib, Burmitops 1729 LdsM. 'The townsmen's curtilages', from OE , ME  burhman 'townsman, burgess', later 'burgage tenant'; it was also used as a local byname as in Hugh Burman 1425 Rent 19; v. topt , cf. Burmantofts ii, 166supra . G. Woledge (Thoresby xxxvii, 297) suggests that the 'tofts' in this case are not the building plots but the half-acres that were allotted to the plots.