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.

Lowesby

Major Settlement in the Parish of Lowesby

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. . 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).