Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Vfre 1011 Peniarth 13th

• Vfra e.11th 13th ib

• Ufre 1086 DB 1086,1226 BurtCh

• Over(e), Overa, Ouere 1086 DB 1160–75 RadCh 1202 FF 1253 Burton 1316 FA 1330 QW

• Hovere 1208 FF

• Oura 1160 BurtCh c.1170 RadCh 1203 BurtCh

• Offra 1185 BurtCh

• Uure 1226 FF

• Vvera 1280 Burton

• Oufra 1255 BurtAn

• Oufra Magna c.1100 BurtCh

• Ufram majorem 1087 BurtAn

• Oure Majoris 1215 BurtCh

• Magna Oura 1223–9 StoweCh

• Magna Owra 1226 ib

• Magna Oure 1281 Ass

• Magna Ovre 1318 Pat

• Magna Uvra 1226 Burton

• Magna Hora 1230 P

• Magna Uvera 1280 BurtCh

• Magne Owera 1226 StoweCh

• Magna Overa, Over(e), Ouera, Ouer(e) c.1232 1243 Fees 1281,1284,1285 Burton 1577 Saxton

• Mycheloure 1386 Cor

• Mikulovere 1447 RadCh

• Mykylowr 1535 Val

• Myckilovere 1577 DbAi

• Myckellouer 1601 DbAxvi

• Gret Overa 1546 Burton

• Great Over als Myckell Over 1575 Bemrose

• Great Over als Mickle Over 1597 ib

• Great Over als Mickleover 1608 ib

• Great Oure 1610 Speed

Etymology

Probably 'the ridge' from an unrecorded OE  *ofer2, ufer. Both Mickleover and Littleover, supra 478, are situated on a low ridge and this must have given its name to both places. There seems little doubt from the early references that the settlement at Mickleover is the earlier and was simply called Ufer . The distinctive affixes must have been given when the later settlement at Littleover was established; hence 'great' and 'little', v. micel , lȳtel .