Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Eanulfesbirig c.1000 Saints

• Einuluesberie 1086 DB

• Einulfesbiri c.1125 WMP

• Ainesbiri 1163 P

• Enolfesburia 12th Ord

• Eynebir 1227 Ass

• Eynesbyr, Eynesbir 1234 FF 1235 Cl 1286 Ass 1303 FA 1327 SR

• Eynisbyr, Eynisbiry 1248 FF 1275 Cl 1313 Ass

• Eynesbury 1316 FA 1350 Ipm 1376 Cl 1428 FA 1504 Ipm

• Eynysbury 1498 Ipm

• Aynsbury 1509 BM

• Eymesbury 1577 FF

• Ensberry Eliz ChancP

• Aisbury c.1600 Linc

Etymology

This is a remarkable but perfectly clear example of the confusion of two like-sounding names. Originally the burh took its name from a man bearing the common OE  name Ēanwulf .The diphthong in this name would by the time of the Conquest have become ǣ . Then this name became difficult to distinguish from late OE  Einulf found in the form Aegenulf , Agenulf , as the name of a moneyer of Ethelred the Unready and as Ainulf (us ), Einulf (us ) in various late OE documents. The name is continental rather than English in origin (v. Forssner sn. Aginulfus ).The substitution of such for an English name may have been assisted by the fact that after the founding of the priory in the 11th cent. Eynesbury became a centre of foreign influence.