Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cherchebi 1086 DB

• Chirchebi 1086 DB

• Chirchebia c.1130 LeicSurv

• Kirchebia 1163 RegAnt

• Kyrchebia 1163 ib

• Kercheby m.13 Laz 1404

• Kirkebi 1166,Hy2 Dane 1198 Cur c.1235 AD m.13 Laz 1404

• Kirkebia e.13 1404 ib

• Kyrkebi 1169 AD e.13 Berkeley 1237 AD

• Kierkebi 1204 P

• Kirkeby Hy2 Dugd 1200,1203 Fine e.13 Peake 1226 TutP 1228 Ch 1486 Cl 1494 Will 1535 VE 1551 Deed

• Kirkebya p.1250 Laz 1404

• Kyrkeby 1214 Cur 1226 TutP 1227 Fees 1537 MinAccts 1542 Fine 1556 1574 Ipm

• Kerkebi Hy2 Dane

• Kerkeby m.13 Laz 1404 Ipm 1290 ELiW 1377 FA 1428

• Kirkby 1436,1467 Pat 1518 Visit 1526 Fine 1576 Saxton 1584 Ipm

• Kyrkeby 1429 Fine 1446 AD 1548,1553 Pat

• Kerkby 1538×44 ECP 1610 Speed

• Kirby 1539 Deed 1604 SR 1614 Ipm

• Kyrby 1428 FA 1502 MiscAccts 1573,1588 Fine

• Kerbie 1630 LML

• ~ iuxta Maltunam 1166 Dane

• ~ Meltonam Hy2 ib

• ~ Meltun Hy2 ib

• ~ iuxta Malton 1275 RH

• ~ iuxta Melton 1293 Banco 1319 BM

• ~ super Werc Hy2 Dane

• ~ super Wrepech 1224×30 Fees

• ~ super Wrethek e.Hy3 Hastings

• ~ super Wreic 1243 Fees

• ~super aquam de Wreyk 1301 IpmR

• ~ Beler 1332 SR 1372 Ipm 1383 Rut

• ~ Bel(l)ers 1375 Misc 1377,1380 ELiW

• ~ super Wrethek alias Vellers (sic) 1510 LP

• ~ super Wretheke alias Beler 1539 AAS

• Alicia Beler 1327 SR

• Radulfus Beler 1361 Ipm

• Foucherdyke 1407 Hilton

• Fulcarius 12 Dane

Etymology

'The village with a church', v. kirkju-bý(r). The ch spellings in some early forms are AN for k rather than representing OE  cirice 'a church'.

Hamo Beler held the manor in 1166 Dane and it remained in the Beler family as late as Alicia Beler 1327 SR and Radulfus Beler 1361 Ipm. In 1242 Fees, parts of Kirby are variously described as ~ de Auvill ', ~ de Fouker , ~ Prioris , ~ de Sancto Amante and ~ de Wasteneys . Juliana de Ayvill held land in Kirby in the reign of John, while Robertus de Hevill ' possessed a knight's fee here in 1236 Fees. Fouker , a name surviving in the Kirby f.n. Foucherdyke 1407 Hilton, is poss. the ME surn. reflex of the ODan  pers.n. Folkar (Fulcarius 12 Dane is recorded in Leics.).Alternatively, it may represent the OFr  pers.n. Foucher < OGer  Fulchar , v. Reaney s. n. Fulcher. The suffix ~ Prioris refers to that part of Kirby in the possession of the Prior of Kirby Bellars Priory, a house of Augustinian Canons (MLat  prior (prioris gen.sg.) 'a prior'). Amaury de Sancto Amando is recorded as receiving a grant of land in Kirby in 1228 Ch, while John de Wasteneys owned Wasteneyscroft here in 1302 Ipm.Earlier, a Willelmus de Wasteneys held land in Osgathorpe (1236 Fees).Presumably he also possessed a fee in Kirby. Note affixes with MLat  iuxta 'next to', super 'on, upon' and aqua (aquam acc.sg.) 'water, a river'.