Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Worcnodebie 1086 DB

• Wargnodebi 1102×06 Reg Hy1 Nichols

• Wartnadeby c.1130 LeicSurv

• Wartnathebi 1273 RGrav

• Wartnothebi 1227 GildR

• Warcnatebi 1169 P

• Warcnathebi 1207 ib

• Warknateby 1271 Wyg

• Warknathby 1276 RH

• Warcnodbi c.1200 BM

• Warknotheb' e.13 Berkeley

• Warknothebi 1226 GildR

• Warkeneteby 1209×35 RHug 1278 RGrav

• Warkenetheby 1285 Banco

• Warknetheby 1294 Nichols

• Warkenetby 1327 SR

• Warknedeb' 1253×58 RHug

• Warknedeby 1315 ChancW

• Warkenedby 1377 Pat

• Warkeneby 1262 CroxR Edw1 Ass 1262 MiscAccts 1502 LAS 1523

• Warkenaby 1355 GildR 1381 Cl

• Warnoteby 1328 Pat 1338 Hosp

• Warnotby 1382 Pat

• Warkneby 1444,1445 Nichols 1523 LAS

• Warknaby 1507 Ipm

• Wartnamby 1472 Hastings 1529 Fine 1537 CoPleas

• Wartnambie 1601 Terrier

• Warkenamby 1504 Ipm

• Werkeneby 1510 Rental

• Werkneby 1523 LAS

• Wartnaby 1507 Ipm 1524 CoPleas 1601 LibCl 1610 Speed

• Wartnabye 1570 Rental 1576 Saxton

Etymology

The village lies on high ground beside the Roman road Margary 58a across the Wolds. Its name is difficult. Ekwall in DEPN s. n. notes, 'The place is in a high situation. The first element may be a word meaning “watch hill” or the like, e.g. an OE  weard-cnotta (cf. Knott End) or an OScand  varð -knǫttr “hill with a cairn”. But the first element is perhaps better explained as an OE  personal name Weorcnōþ , Worcnōþ (cf. Workington) though the usual a in the first syllable offers difficulty.'Neither of the OE pers.ns. Ekwall suggests is recorded. The OE  pers.n. Weorc is only found monothematically, never as the first theme of a dithematic name.

As the early forms with d and th indicate, the second element is probably OE  nōð 'daring, boldness', a typical OE pers.n.-forming theme.Ekwall's cnotta or knǫttr are unlikely. In the case of varð -knǫttr , consistent early loss of ð would not be expected (cf. Warcop, We 282).The surviving forms seem more consistent with an unrecorded OE  pers.n. *Wærcnōð . Hence, 'Wærcnōð's farmstead, village', v. bȳ and SSNEM 76.