Bourn
Major Settlement in the Parish of Bourn
Historical Forms
- Bronna 1086 ICC 1176 BM
- Bronne 1236 Barnwell 1445 Elien
- Brona 1086 ICC
- Brone 1086 DB
- Brunna 1086 ICC
- Brunna, Brunne 1185 P 1445 FF
- Brunne juxta Caxtone 1283 ib
- Brunam 1086 DB
- Brune 1361 Ipm
- Bruin(n)e 1227 FF 1408 Pat
- Broun(n)e 1285 Ass 1476 ADv
- Burn(e) 1441 Pat 1506 EAvii
- Boorn 1512 EAvii
- Borne t.Hy8 Rental 1536 EAxiii 1549 Pat 1582 EAx
- Bourne 1540 MinAcct 1552–3 Pat 1553 EAviii
- Buene 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed
- Fulbrun 1475 ECP
Etymology
With this name must be taken Bourne Eau (L), Brunne 1327 Ch, (le ) Brunne Hee , Brunhee 1354, 1383 Works, and Bourne (L), Brunne c. 960 (18th) BCS 1060, Brune 1086 DB, which are distinct from other bourne -names in having invariably early forms in Brun (n )e , Bronne instead of Burne , Bo (u )rne . Ekwall (RN 41–4, DEPN) derives all from OE burna, a metathesised form of an original brunna . “There is no reason to look upon these [forms in brunne ] as due to Scandinavian influence.” It is to be noted, however, that Bourn is near the Huntingdonshire border, adjoining Caxton and not far from Croxton, each of which contains a Scand personal name. Lincolnshire is, perhaps, the most Scandinavianised county in England. Of the very large number of forms noted for Bassingbourn, Fulbourn and Melbourn, only one, and that very late (Fulbrun 1475 ECP), does not end in -b (o )urne . In the neighbouring counties which have already been treated in full, Beds, Hu, Nth, Herts, Ess, no forms in brun (n )e are found. It is only in the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire, where Scandinavian influence is strong, that we have names with only brunn , others with only burn , and still others with a mixture of the two. For Bourn Brook and Bourn Way (supra 2, 20) we have no form in Burn - before the middle of the 15th century. It seems clear, therefore, that Bourn (C) and Bourne (L) both derive from ON brunnr, 'spring, stream,' here the Bourn Brook.