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.

Billericay

Early-attested site in the Parish of Great Burstead

Historical Forms

  • Byllyrica 1291 For
  • Billirica 1307 Ass 1375 Cl 1385 IpmR
  • Billyrecha 1436 Pap
  • Billerica 1343 Ipm 1353 Pat 1551 EAS(NS)i
  • Byllerica 1351 Works
  • Billeryke 1368 EAS(NS)i
  • Billerecay 1594 N
  • Bilreaky 1686 EssPRii
  • Bellerica 1382,1410 Cl 1477 Pat
  • Belerikkey 1514 LP
  • Bulerycay 1539 LP

Etymology

This curious name is apparently twice repeated elsewhere in England. There is a Bellerica Fm in Witham Friary (So).Wallenberg (PN K 465) quotes this and adds the important Kentish Billerica in Lympne, of which the exact site is unknown.The early forms of all these three names are identical. The first two are on well-marked hills and the lost Kentish one was near Court-at-Street and therefore high up, but no satisfactory etymology can be suggested.