Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Brunkesey(e) 1241 Lib 1275 Pat 1276 Cl 1280 Ass 1302 1303 1535–43 Leland

• Brumkeseye 1318 Ch

• Bruncksee 1576 Hutch3

• Brun(c)ksey c.1586 Tres 1597 DROMap

• Broncheshe 1291 Tax

• Bronkesye 1319 MinAcct

• Bronkesie 1331 Douce

• Bronkeseye 1341 DCMDeed 1792 Misc 1381

• Bronkseye 1581 Hutch3

• Brounkeseye 1381 Pitt 16

• Brounk(e)see 1546,1547 Ct

• Brownecksey Eliz Hutch3

• Brymbesey Yle 1539 LP

• Brow'sea, Bro'sey 1545 Hutch3

• Brounsey alias Brunckesey Eliz ib

• Brownesey e17 Cecil

• Brownsea Island 1811 OS 1826 Gre

• Branksey 1575 Saxton 1695 Camd

• Branksea Island 1773 Bayly

• Brenksey 1695 Camd

Etymology

Probably 'Brūnoc's island', from an unrecorded OE  pers.n. *Brūnoc , a derivative of Brūn , and ēg , as suggested in DEPN, with ile , ēg-land. Fägersten 125 follows a suggestion by Zachrisson that the first el. is an OE  *brunc , a gradation variant of an OE  *brinc which would be related to ODan  brink 'brink, edge of a bank' (v. EPN s.v.), but preservation of the long vowel favours the pers.n.