Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Felebruge 1086 DB

• Felebrigge 1141–9 Holme 1207 Cur 1224 Bract 1250to1286 Ass 1282,1302 FA 1311 FF 1330,1331 Ipm

• Felebrege 1177 P

• Felebrigg 1219 FF 1307 Ipm 1316 FA

• Felebrig 1220(p),1224 Cur 1259 Ass 1274,1275 Ipm

• Fellebrigge 1257 Ass

• Fillebrigge 1257 ib

• Felebrige 1269 Ass

• Felebregg 1281 Ch

• Filebregge 1286 Ass

• Felebreg 1308 DeBanco

• Fellebrigg 1321 Ipm

• Felbrige 1275 RH

• Felbrigge 1317 Pat 1363 FF 1369,1388 AD 1461 Past

• Felbrigg 1346 FA

• Felbrygg 1350 FF

• Felbrug 1353 Ch

• Felbregge 1463 Past

• Felbryge 1401–2 FA 1450 Past

• Felbrygge 1535 VE

Etymology

The first element is best explained as the unfractured stem *fel - in ODan  fiæl 'plank', OWScand  fiǫl 'thin board'. Ekwall (DEPN) suggests that the whole compound is Scandinavian, recorded in OWScand  as fiǫl -bryggia , which he translates 'plank bridge', although OScand  bryggja was not itself used of a 'bridge' but normally denoted 'jetty, quay'. It is perhaps better to interpret it, with Mills, as a hybrid name, the second element being influenced from OE  brycg 'bridge'.