Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Gadesbi 1086 DB

• Gadesbie 1086 ib

• Gadesbia 1178 P

• Gadesby c.1130 LeicSurv 1322 Fine 1502 MiscAccts 1535 VE

• Gaddesbi c.1130 LeicSurv 1179 ChancR 1206 P

• Gaddesbia 1177 ib

• Gaddesby 1263 LCDeeds 1276 RH 1278 RGrav

• Gaddisby 1209×35 RHug 1510 Rental

• Gaddisbya 13 MiD

• Gaddysby Edw1(1449),1342(1449) WoCart 1363 1449 Rental 1510,1533

• Gadysby 1502 MiscAccts 1522 Wyg

• Gadesberi 1200 P 1201 ib

• Gadesbir' 1201 ChancR

• Gatesbi 1169 P

• Gatesby 1274 Cl 1303 Pat 1322 Fine 1331 Pat

• Gaddebi 1179,1180,1181,1182 P 1224 ClR

• Gaddeby m.13 Laz 1404

Etymology

Probably 'Gad's farmstead, village', v. bȳ . The ON  pers.n. Gaddr (ODan  Gad , OSwed  Gadd ) is an original by-name from ON  gaddr 'a goad, a spur'. Fellows-Jensen (SSNEM 48) suggests that the first el. of Gaddesby may rather be the sb. gaddr transferred topographically to the 'spur of land' on which the settlement is located. However, its site lies on the south-facing escarpment of a long ridge which extends three miles to its west and roughly the same to its east, so that it is difficult to conceive of this physical feature as a hill spur.

The three 13th century spellings with -beri /-bir ' do not indicate an earlier generic in -byrig (dat.sg. of burh 'a fortified place'), v. the discussion of the name of Asfordby.