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.

Great Gibcrack, Little Gibcrack

Early-attested site in the Parish of Danbury

Historical Forms

  • Gyb(e)crak(e) 1229 FF
  • parco de Gyb(e)crak(e) 1292 MinAcct 1369 IpmR
  • Gib(b)ecrak(e) 1243–80 Pat 1264 Abbr
  • parcus de Gyb(e)crak(e) 1276 For
  • Gyb(e)crak(e)ho 1291 1302–9 Londin
  • Gyb(e)crak(e) Hoo 1323 Ipm
  • Gyb(e)crak(e)hoo 1323 MinAcct
  • Gyb(e)crak(e)halle 1395 IpmR
  • Sypcrecke 1548 Pat
  • Gimcrack 1777 C 1805 O

Etymology

Great Gibcrack, Little Gibcrack [dʒibkræk] is Gyb (e )crak (e )1229 FF, parco de Gyb (e )crak (e )1292MinAcct , 1369 IpmR, Gib (b )ecrak (e )1243–80 Pat, 1264 Abbr, parcus de Gyb (e )crak (e )1276For , Gyb (e )crak (e )ho 1291 ib., 1302–9 Londin, Gyb (e )crak (e ) Hoo 1323 Ipm, Gyb (e )crak (e )hoo 1323MinAcct , Gyb (e )crak (e )halle 1395 IpmR, Gyb (e )crec 1233, Gyb (e )crac 1234 Cl, Sypcrecke 1548 Pat, Gimcrack 1777 C, 1805 O.There can be little doubt that this name, as suggested by Dr Ritter and Professor Weekley, is identical with the common word gimcrack . The history of that word is obscure. Its earliest form hitherto recorded is gibecrake , and it seems then to be used of some kind of wooden inlay-work. The primary sense, it is suggested, may have been 'slight or flimsy ornament.' Such a name might have been given to a house actually decorated with some such woodwork, or it may be that already when Gibcrack was first so called the term was one of reproach and was used of some flimsily built house. The earliest reference in NED is dated 1360 (NED s. v .). Cf. Howe Green infra 267.