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.

Little Humber

Early-attested site in the Parish of Paull

Historical Forms

  • Parua Humbria 1260 Rental
  • Lyttyl Humbria 1286–1310 Melsa
  • Parva Humber 1260,1296 YI
  • parua(m) Humbre 1301 Pat 1339 Extent
  • Little Humbr' 1338 Ch

Etymology

Little Humber is Parua Humbria 1260Rental , Lyttyl Humbria 1286– 1310 Melsa, Parva Humber 1260, 1296 YI, parua (m ) Humbre 1301 Pat, 1339Extent , Little Humbr '1338 Ch. This was probably a small branch of the Humber which formerly cut off Cherry Cobb Sands and Sunk Island from the mainland. The place is now some distance inland but there is still a drain and an old embankment called Humber Delve (supra 31), which marks the course of this old channel, v. Humber supra 8.