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.

Banbury Hill

Other OS name in the Parish of Okeford Fitzpaine

Historical Forms

  • Banbury (Common) 1773 Bayly 1811 OS
  • boscum de Ban'ber' 13 GlastR

Etymology

, Banbury (Common )1773 Bayly, 1811 OS; probably to be identified with boscum de Ban 'ber '13 GlastR ; there is an Iron Age univallate hill - fort here , v. RCHM 3206 , so the second el . is probably burh ( dat . sg . byrig ) ' fortified place ' , the first perhaps bana ' murderer ' , cf. Banbury O 412 explained as from burh with an OE  pers.n. Bana .