Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Acumesberie 1086 DB

• Alchmundesbiri, Alcmundesberia 1168,1169 P 1197–8 P

• Alkmundebir, Alcmundebir, Alkmundebury 1230,1233,1237 Cl 1428 FA

• Alkemund(e)bury 1238 Cl 1252 Ch 1287 Orig 1299 BM 1302 Ch 1309 FF 1326 Cl 1357 Ipm

• Aucmundebury 1259 Pat

• Alcumbiri, Alkumbury, Alcumbury 1285 FA 1383 Cl 1428 FA 1513 FF

• Aumondebiry 1286 Ass

• Alkmond(e)bury, Alcmondebury 1294 FF E1 BM 1316 FA 1356 FF

• Alkemondbury 1357 Ipm

• Alcunbiri, Alkunbury 1303 FA 1375 BM

• Alcumdebyry 1311 FF

• Alcumdeberry al. Alcumbery 1314 Ipm

• Alkymundbery 1326 Ipm

• Alkundbury 1475 BM

• Aucumbury 1535 VE

• Awkyngbery 1553 FF

• Alcanbury 1565 FF

• Awconbury, Awkenbury 1580,1618–24 BM

• Alcomberie Eliz ChancP

• Aulconburye 1612 BM

• Aukenbury, Aukingbury 1675 Ogilby

Etymology

In the suffix we find ber - forms as follows: 1 in the 11th cent., 2 in the 12th, 1 in the 13th, 5 in the 14th, 2 in the 16th. The figures for bir - and byr - forms are 2 in the 12th, 8 in the 13th, 2 in the 14th, while for the bur - forms there are 6 in the 13th, 11 in the 14th, 4 in the 15th, 1 in the 16th and after that they prevail altogether.

'Ealhmund's burh' or 'stronghold.' Alconbury stands at the foot of a low range of hills, and the burh recorded in the name was probably a fortified house rather than an ancient camp. In the adjacent county of Northampton the pers. name Ealhmund survived into the 12th cent., and it is also found in the place- names Alcaston (Sa), Almington (St) and Alkmonton (Db).