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 Barrington

Major Settlement in the Parish of Great Barrington

Historical Forms

  • Berniton(e) 1086 DB 1190–1192 P
  • Berninton(a), Berninton(e), Bernintun, Bernyntun 1086 DB 1137 Monast 1156,1196 P 1212 Fees 1213 Cur 1254 Cl 1287 QW 1485 Pat
  • Maiore Bernyntun 1221 Ass
  • Magna Bernyntun 1290 Episc 1291 Tax 1327 SR
  • Berinton 1199 Abbr 1205 Cur
  • Berington, Beryngton 1199 Ch 1329 Pat 1354 Ipm
  • Bernington, Bernyngton 1221 Ass 1321 Cl
  • magna Bernyngton 1221 Ass
  • Biryton 1274 Cl
  • Bermithon 1292 Ch
  • Berminton 1301 Ch
  • Barnton Hy6 AddCh
  • Great Baryn(g)ton 1461 Pat Hy8 Rent
  • Baryn(g)ton Magna 1535 VE
  • Barrington 1543 AOMB
  • Magna Barrington c.1560 Surv 1584 Comm

Etymology

'Farmstead associated with Beorn(a)' from the OE  pers.n. Beorn (a ), v. ing 4 , tūn . 'Great' (Lat  magna ) to distinguish it from Little Barrington (194infra ). Cf. Barrington Hundred (192supra ). For the loss of -n - cf. Phonol. § 37 (b ).