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.

Amberley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Minchinhampton

Historical Forms

  • Unberleia 1166 RBE
  • Omberleia c.1240 Berk
  • Ambresleg' 1248 Ass
  • Ambresley 1461 MinAcct
  • Amberley, Amberleie 1240–50 Spillm 1307 MchCust Ric2 Rent 1449,1454 MinAcct
  • Amberlea 1659 GR25
  • Aumberley 1411 MinAcct

Etymology

The first el., as in Amberden (Ess), is probably OE  amore, the name of a bird (perhaps the bunting), but the two spellings with the gen.sg. -es as well as the persistent -b - might link it with Ombersley (Wo 268, Ambreslege 706 BCS 116), Amesbury (W 358, Ambresbyrig c. 880 BCS 553), Ambrosden (O 161), and Amberley (He 5), which are from an OE  pers.n. Amber , cognate with OG  Ambri (v. Wo 268).'Amber's clearing', v. lēah .