Kexby
Early-attested site in the Parish of Low Catton
Historical Forms
- Kexebi, Kexeby 1170–80 YCh444 1246 Ass 1278 Ch 1316 NomVill
- Kexby 1285 KI 1599 NCWills
- Kixbie 1508 Test
Etymology
Kexby is Kexebi , Kexeby 1170–80 YCh 444, 1246Ass , 1278 Chet freq to 1316 NomVill, Kexby 1285 KIet passim to 1599 NCWills, Kixbie 1508 Test. Lindkvist (65–6) considers the first element to be an OScand nickname Keikr , from keikr 'bent backwards,' probably in an OEScand form Kēk , gen. Kēks . This is likely, as by is generally compounded with pers. names, but we should also take into account ME kex 'an umbelliferous plant, dry stalks,' a word of Scand origin (cf. Ekwall, Shakespeare 's Vocabulary 84, and Kexwith, PN NRY 291). 'Kēk 's farm' or 'farmstead overgrown with kex .'