Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Meleberie 1086 DB(f.82c)

• Meleberia Exon

• Melebir' 1212 Fees 1219 Cur

• Melebyr' 1244 Ass 1299 Ipm

• Melebiri 1348 ib

• Mellebir' 1202 Cur

• Mellebur' 1288 Ass

• Melebir' Bubbe 1244 Ass

• Melebyr' Bubbe 1280 Ass

• Melebur' Bub(b)e 1288 Ass

• Melebury Bubbe 1297 Cl 1428 FA

• Melebury in Bubbe (sic) 1297 Pat

• Melebury Bobbe 1299 Ipm

• Meleburybobbe 1332 SR

• Mel(l)eburn(e) Bubbe (sic) 1244 Ass 1276 FF

• Maleburn' Bulbe (sic) 1244 Abbr

• Maleburi Bobbe 1290 Ch

• Mulebury bobbe (sic) 1268 Ass

• Bub(be) Melebur' 1280,1284 FF

• Melburybubbe 1288 Ass 1306 Abbr 1358 Pat 1409 Cl

• Melbury Bubb 1316 FA

• Melbury Bubbe 1327 SR 1428 FA

• Melbury Bukbe (sic) 1346 ib

• Melbury Bub 1664 HTax

• Melburibobbe 1348 Ipm

• Melberiebubbe 1569–74 Map

• Mellbury Bubb 1664 HTax

• Mellenbir' Bubbe (sic) 1288 Ass

• Molebury Bubbe (sic) 1291 Tax

• Melibury Bubb, Melebulibuckeby (sic) 1303 FA

• Melebury Bobeton 1328 Orig

• Bubbeton 1412,1431 FA

• Bubton' 1435 Weld1

• Bupton 1454 Cl 1499 Ipm

• Bubdowne 1669 Batten

• Bubb Down 1811 OS

Etymology

Probably 'multicoloured fortified place', from mǣle (wk.obl. -an ) and burh (dat.sg. byrig ), one of the group of three pars. sharing this name (v. Melbury Sampford supra and Melbury Osmond infra ), cf. also the etymologically identical Melbury Abbas 3130–1 for further discussion of this name type. The manor was held by William Bubbe in 1212 Fees and by his son Ralph Bubbe in 1244, 1280Ass , cf. also Ralph Bobbe 1299 Ipm. This ME surname is derived from the OE  pers.n. Bubba (Redin 87, Tengvik 296) found in Bookham in Buckland N. par. 3 241 (where the form æt Bubbancumbe 1002–1012 ASWrits (S 1383) probably belongs). The addition of -ton (OE  tūn, ME  toun) to the manorial affix in some of the forms from 1328 onward is interesting, as is the development of this to -down . The addition of -ton looks like a genuine late formation, but the development to -down is probably due to popular etymology or confusion, Bubb Down Hill (q. v. infra ) being now the name of the hill (rising to over 700′) on the NE slopes of which the village of Melbury Bubb is situated.