Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Barchebi 1086 DB

• Barcheberie 1086 DB

• Barkebia c.1130 LeicSurv

• Barkebi 1200 FF 1227 GildR c.1270 AD 1292 GildR

• Barkeby 1156 Ch 1318 RHug 1209×35 Cur 1237 Rut 1423,1427 MinAccts 1537,1539

• Barkesby 1242 Fees

• Barkby 1251,1252 Cur 1510 CoPleas 1514 Ipm

• Berkeby 1442 Fine 1473 MiD 1553 Pat

• Mikeberkby 1494 Banco

Etymology

'Bark's farmstead, village', v. bȳ . The Scand  pers.n. Bark is a reflex of either Bǫrkr (Barkar gen.) or Barki . The DB spelling Barcheberie is erratic and does not suppose an earlier OE  p.n. with a generic in -byrig (dat.sg. of burh 'a fortified place'), v. Asfordby.

Both DB forms have AN  orthographic ch for the voiceless stop k before e . The late form Mikeberkby is prefixed by Scand  mikill 'great' to distinguish the village from its neighbouring daughter settlement Barkby Thorpe.