Grabbishaw
Early-attested site in the Parish of Fremington
Historical Forms
- Grobbes(c)haue 1330 SR 1399 Ct
Etymology
This name may be of ME origin and contain ME grobbe , 'grub,' also, 'short, dwarfish fellow,' used as a surname. It should be noted, however, that already in OE we have a p.n. grobbes dene (BCS 552), which suggests that the grobb (whether as pers. name or significant word) goes back to Old English, though its meaning is obscure. Cf. also Grub (now Milton) Street in London, Grobstrat 1217–43 HMC ix, 8, Grobbestrat 1277, Grubbestrat 1281, le Grubbestrete 1332 Calendar of Wills in Hustings Court.