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.

Theobald Street

Early-attested site in the Parish of Aldenham

Historical Forms

  • Titeberst(h) 1086 DB
  • Titeberst 1204 Cur 1304 Ipm
  • Tyteberst 1258 FF 1261 ADi 1287 Ass
  • Titeburst t.Hy2 Dugd 1322 FF
  • Tythebyrste 13th ADi
  • Titteberst 13th ADiii
  • Titesburst 1327 FF
  • Tytebrist 1278 Ass
  • Tytebrust 1342 ib
  • Tyttbrust 1551 FF
  • Tyberste 1287 Ass
  • Tybherst 1478 Pat
  • Tyebirst 1501 ECP
  • Tibburste 1556 AOMB
  • Tybhurste 1561 FF
  • Tiddeburst 1299 Ass
  • Tydbrist 1480–3 ECP
  • Tydbrest 1542 LP
  • Tybur strete 1501 ECP
  • Titburstreet 1637 Sess
  • Tibber streete 1637 Ct
  • Tibbitt streete ib.
  • Tiberstreete 1645 FF
  • Tiburstreet 1645 Moulton
  • Tibbolstreete 1637 Ct
  • Thebaldstreete 1694 FF
  • Teebald Street 1778 Recov

Etymology

The second element of this name is clearly the OE  (eorð )- geberst , found in 739 (Crawford i) in the bounds of Crediton, Devon, but it is impossible at the present day to discover just what sort of earth-crack the name refers to. It may, however, be noted that the place is on a clay soil which does occasionally produce deep cracks in very dry summers. Cf. Berstedell (1429Ct ) in Little Berkhamsted. The first element is probably the OE  personal name Tit (t )a , found in Tittandun in Wo (BCS 1282) and in Tittinghurst (PN Sx 254). See also Tykes Water supra 5.Titberst Street > Tibberstreet and then Tibber was confused with Tibbal (d ), the colloquial reduction of the name Theobald .