English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Blaby

Major Settlement in the Parish of Blaby

Historical Forms

  • Bladi (sic) 1086 DB
  • Blabi 1175 P 1196 GildR 1204 Cur e.13 Laz 1404 LCDeeds a.1250
  • Blaby 1220 MHW 1222,1235 RHug
  • Blabye 1557 Pat 1576 Saxton
  • Blayby 1518 Visit
  • Blaybie 1576 LibCl

Etymology

Probably 'the farmstead or village of a man called Blar', v. . A Scand  masc. pers.n. Blár is unrecorded, but appears to be a by-name from the ON  adj. blár 'dark'. Note Randulfus Bla 1202 Ass of Lincolnshire and the later Iusse bla (Lind 29).