Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bruteyt 1228 FF

• Bruteghte t.Ed1 StAlbansO

• Brutethte 1342 Ass

• (in) bosco de Breteʒte t.Ed1 StAlbansO

• Broteghte 1314 FF

• Brygteyght 1436 Cassio

• Briteyghtwod 1505 AddCh

• Bryteytwod 1512 Ct

• bosco de Bryghteyght 1536 MinAcct

• Bricket Wood 1655 ParReg(Aldenham)

Etymology

The name is a compound of OE  beorht (briht ), 'bright, light' and iggoð , 'islet.' The nearest islet in the Colne is more than a mile away so the word iggoð may have the same sense which eg , 'island,' from which it is formed often has, viz. '(little) piece of marsh-land.' “The wood occupies a patch of heavy and wet boulder-clay, surrounded for the most part by dryer loams” (E. J. S.).