Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Drumbogh 1171–5 CWiii 1333 Denton 1610

• Drumboc c.1225 Weth

• Drumbock 1279 Ass

• Drumbouch 1302 ib

• Drumbou 1299 CW(OS)xvi

• Drumbugh 13th Norfolk t.Eliz ChancP

• Drumbough 1425 MinAcct 1632 DKRxxxix

• Drumbuygh c.1540 Leland

• Drombogh c.1225 HolmC 1284 FF 1300,1312 Ipm 1307 Pat 1496 Ipm

• Drombough 1346 Norfolk 1399 IpmR 1589 ExchKR

• Drombugh 1507 Orton

• Drombeugh 1601 Survey

• Dromburgh 1300 Misc

• Drumburgh 1485 Ipm

• Drumbrought 1520 Norfolk

• Drumbrough 1589 CW(OS)xvi 1682 Norfolk

• Drumburgh al. Drumbrough al. Drumbugh 1685 CW(OS)xvi

• Dromboughe Castle 1589 ExchKR

Etymology

The first element is OWelsh  drum , 'ridge.' For the second we may with Ekwall (DEPN) compare Allt Bough (He), Altebogh 1475 BM.Note also Penbough (Co), Penbogh 1320Ass . The interpretation of that element is uncertain. It may be identical with Welsh  bwch , Corn  boch , OIr  bocc , 'buck,' and indicate a hill which bucks frequented.Ekwall (DEPN) would prefer to associate it with Welsh  bach , bychan , 'small,' but the vowel relationships are not in that case clear. The second element was ultimately confused with English burh . The process may have been helped by the presence here of a castle for which a licence to crenellate was given to Robert le Brun in 1307 (Pat).