Hemingbrough
Major Settlement in the Parish of Hemingbrough
Historical Forms
- Hemingburg(h), Hemyngburg(h) 1080–6 YCh 1204 Ass 1488 FF
- Hemingburc 1201 Abbr 1311 Ch
- Hemingboroughe 1542 NCWills
- Hemingbrowghe 1571 FF
- Hamiburg 1086 DB 1476 Pat
- Hemmingburch, Hemmyngburch 11th YCh 1121–8 ib
- Hemmingburg(h) 1272 Ebor 1408 Test
- Hemmingeburc(h) 1153–60 YCh 1204 ChR
- Hemmigeb' 1180–90 YCh992
- Hemingeburc 1195 Ch 1335
- Hemmigburc 1180–90 YCh992
- Hemigburg 1291 Ebor 1295 Pap
- Hemmingesburc 1200 Cur
- Hemingaborg 13th KnytlingaSaga
- Hymmyngburgh 1507 Test
- Hembrugh 1570 FF
- Hembroughe 1612 FF
Etymology
'Heming 's fortification,' v. burh . The OScand pers. name Heming is common, especially in Old Danish and Old Swedish (cf. LindN s. n .), and it is found in England in independent use (NP 67) as well as in place-names like Hemingby (L), Hemingstone (Sf). It has been suggested (Crawf 140) that Hemingbrough takes its name from the Jómsborg Viking, Jarl Hemingr, who captained the northern detachment of the famous þinga - mannalið . This body of housecarls had been established by Swein in England and its northern quarters were at a place called Slessvik , now lost but presumably in the neighbourhood of York. After Swein's death the English plotted to massacre the þingamenn , and Hemingr and his followers were slain: that was about 1015. Some support is to be found in the fact that Hemingbrough was captured by Cnut himself some years later (1026, according to Knytlinga Saga). The identification is a plausible one, but in view of the general frequency of the name Heming it cannot be certain. If this etymology is correct the pers. name has an uninflected genitive form.
We should also admit the possibility of an OE Hem(m)ingaburh , 'stronghold of Hemma and his people,' which accords with many of the early spellings.