Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Erendesbi 1086 DB 1169,1170 P

• Erendesby 1227,1229 Ch 1231 Fine

• Herendesby 1265 Misc

• Herendisby c.1280 Wyg

• Erendesberie 1086 DB

• Erndesby 1227 ClR 1230 Fine 1285 FA

• Herndesbi 1199 Cur

• Ernesbi 1202 FF 1205 Pap c.1251 RTemple

• Ernesby 1212 RBE 1225 ClR 1493 Rey 1522 RTemple

• Hernesb' 1236 Fees

• Hernisby 1272 Ipm

• Ernebi 1177,1178 P 1215 et freq

• Erneby 1224 Cur 1266 Pat

• Hernebi 1176 P

• Herneby 1335(p),1344 Peake 1356 et freq

• Yerenesby 1518 Visit

• Earnsby 1576,1601 LibCl

• Earnesbie 1603 LibCl

• Earnesby 1606,1630 LML

• Armesby(e) 1548 Fine 1576 Saxton

• Arnesby(e) 1610 Speed 1695 LML

Etymology

Either 'the farmstead or village of a man called Erendi' or 'the farmstead or village of a man called Iarund', v. bȳ . The recorded ODan  masc. pers.n. Iarund (ON  Iǫrundr ) may have given a ME  gen.sg. *Erendes , but Fellows-Jensen (SSNEM 31) argues that the specific is more likely to be an appellative, perhaps Scand  erendi 'errand, message' used as an unrecorded by-name, since Scand  initial ja - survives almost without exception in Scand names in England. Only the form Yerenesby 1518 contains any indication of an initial diphthong, but is very late. The isolated -berie form in DB is erratic and no doubt should be ascribed to the compiler of the Leicestershire returns. Seven other instances of such DB -berie forms occur in the county: those for Appleby (Sparkenhoe Hundred, PNLeiR 559), Asfordby (Lei 39), Barkby (Lei 321), Old Ingarsby (Lei 3152), Quenby (Lei 3154), Shoby (Lei 3111) and Somerby (Lei 2225). For comment on this feature, v. PNLeiR 74–7, Lei 310 and SSNEM 13–15.