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.

Barnwood

Major Settlement in the Parish of Barnwood

Historical Forms

  • Berneuude 1086 DB
  • Bernewode 1164–79,1200,1215 Glouc c.1220 GlR 1263–8 Glouc 1287 Ass 1378 Works
  • Bernwude, Bernwode 1086–7 Glouc 1221 Ass c.1230,1235,c.1270 GlR 1365 et freq
  • Barn(e)wood 1535 VE 1589,1617 Dep

Etymology

Possibly 'wood near the barn' (v. bere-sern, wudu), but early medial -e - rather suggests the first el. is the OE  pers.n. Beorna . This was the wood which doubtless also gave its name to Wotton St Mary (158infra ).