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.

Farnborough

Major Settlement in the Parish of Farnborough

Historical Forms

  • Fernbeorngen 916 BCS632 c.1240
  • Fearnbeorgan c.935 c.1240 ib
  • æt Feornbergan 1042 KCD762 c.1240
  • æt Fernbeorgan 1042 c.1200 ib
  • Fermeberge 1086 DB
  • Ferneberga 1167 P
  • Ferneburghe 1517 DInc
  • Ferenberga 1189 P
  • Ferenburgh' 1220 Fees
  • Farnberg' 1229–30,1245–6 FF
  • Farenberge (p), Farnbergh' 1284 Ass
  • Farnberewe 1327 SR
  • Farneburghe 1428 FA
  • Fernbergh' 1241 Ass

Etymology

'(At the) fern-covered hills', v. fearn , beorg , and cf. DEPN for variants of this name in other counties; Farmborough Do, like Farnborough Berks, appears to be pi. Farnborough village stands at the centre of a ridge which has a number of spurs jutting out from it; these may have been known collectively as 'the fern hills', or the name may refer to tumuli, cf. Broken Berry in f.ns.