Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Glowesbi (sic) 1086 DB

• Lousebia c.1130 LeicSurv

• Lousebi 1184 P e.13 Laz 1404 RHug 1232 Laz c.1250 1404

• Louseby 1200 Dugd 1220 MHW 1229,1232 RHug 1364 Wyg 1404 Laz 1445 Nichols 1446 Banco

• Lousebya 1209×19 RHug

• Lowseby 1315 AllS 1440 Fine

• Lowceby 1412 FA

• Losebi e.Hy2 Dane

• Loseb(e)ia Hy2 Dugd 1178×84 Ch 1328

• Lousby John(1404),1265 Nichols 1332 SR 1352 Nichols

• Lowsby 1468 Pat 1518 Visit

• Lowesby 1241 RGros 1265 Misc 1435 Comp 1438 Peake

• Louesby 1261 RGrav 1491 BM

• Lawcebye 1562 AAS

• Lawisbie 1580 LEpis

• Loasebie 1606 LML

• Loaseby 1609 ib

• Loasby(e) 1612,1628 ib

• Loseby(e) 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed

Etymology

Possibly 'Lauss's or Lausi's farmstead, village', v. bȳ . The specific appears to be a Scand  by-name such as Lauss /Lausi 'loose-living'. A byname Løs is recorded in Denmark in 1298 (DgP II 710) and there was also an OScand  by-name Løse (XenLid 103). Ekwall DEPN suggests that the specific may be OScand  *lausa 'a slope' which is found in Scand  p.ns. as -lösa /-löse , but Janzén has shown that the element was no longer being used in p.n. formation at the time of the Scand settlements in England (v. Names 5 97 and SSNEM 58).