English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Baswick

Early-attested site in the Parish of Leven

Historical Forms

  • Bersewyk(e), Bersewik 1287 BevAct 1294 YI 1297 LS 1417 BevAct
  • Berswyk 1364 FF
  • Barswicke als. Baswicke 1612 FF
  • High and Low Baswick 1786 Tuke

Etymology

Baswick [bazik] is Bersewyk (e ), Bersewik 1287 BevAct, 1294 YI, 1297 LS, 1417 BevAct, Berswyk 1364 FF, Barswicke als. Baswicke 1612 FF, High and Low Baswick 1786 Tuke. 'Bersi 's dairy- farm,' v. wic . For OScand  Bersi , recorded in LVD as Berse , v. NP 27 and DaPN 116. Alternatively, as Baswick is on the river Hull, the first element might possibly be OE  bærs 'perch' and the name signify 'farm near which perch were caught.' A parallel in that case could be found in Fishwick (PN La 146) and Fishleigh (PN D 143).

Places in the same Parish