Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hardepiry(e), Hardepyry(e), Hardepyri(e), Hardepiria 12,13 Glouc 1167 P 1236 FF 1263 GlR 1380 et freq

• Hardepyriye 1248 Ass

• Herdepyrie 1248 ib

• Hardpirie 1318 Berk

• Hardepirer' 1150–60 Eyns 1200 Glouc

• Hardeper(i)er 1154–89 Glouc 1195 P 1245 GlR

• Hardepir(e), Hardepyr' 12 Glouc 1248 Ass 1287 QW 1291 Tax

• Hardeper' 1281 FF

• Hardepyrge 1292 GlR

• Hard(e)purye 1316 FA 1387 Works

• Hardeperye 1334,1358 GlR

• Hartpirie 1324 Misc

• Hartpury 1535 VE 1683 PR

Etymology

'The hard pear-tree' (that is, one with hard fruit like perry-pears), v. heard , pirige . The forms with pirer , etc. have the substitution of OFr  perier , and the later form in Hart - has assimilation of -d - to -t - because of the following voiceless -p - (Phonol. § 44d ).