Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Medburne 1086 DB 1203 Ass e.13 Peake 1452,1459 1582 LEpis 1620 LML

• Medburna a.1150 Peake 1165 P m.13 BelCartB e.15 ChronPetr 1284

• Medburnia 12 Peake

• Medburn' 1171,1172 P 1492,1497 Peake 1545 MemR 1557 Fine

• Medborn(e) 1209×19 RHug 1237 Cur 1615 Ipm 1661 Fine

• Medbornia 12 Peake

• Medbourn' 1293 Peake 1302 Pat 1371,1378 et passim

• Medbourne 1322 Ipm 1333 Peake 1421 1447 Fine

• Medeburn' 1243 Cur 1253 Ch 1306,1327 Peake 1388,1389 et passim

• Medeburna 12 BelCartB e.15

• Medeburne 12 e.15 ChronPetr 1280 Peake 1394 BelCartB 1401 e.15

• Medeborne 1344,1389,1417 Peake 1426 Conant

• Medebourn(e) 1291,1316 Peake 1385 1413 Fine

• Meddeburn(e) 1268 Pat 1316 Peake 1389,1424 et passim

• Medd(e)borne 1417 Conant

• Meadborne 1551 Peake

• Meadbourn 1700 LML

• Metorne (sic) 1086 DB

• Metburna Hy1 Ch 1333 BelCartB Hy2 RHug e.15 Ch 1209×35 1290

• Metburn(e) m.13 Laz 1404 p.1250 Peake 1404 Ipm 13,1451 Visit 1503 Peake 1518 Leland 1519 c.1545

• Metborne 1566,1567 AAS

• Methburne m.13 Laz 1404

Etymology

Most likely 'the meadow stream, the stream with meadows along its banks', v. mēd , burna . A broad stream divides the length of the township which is situated in rich meadowland. The few instances of spellings with Met - (10 out of some 600 before 1400 in the editor's collection) are presumably the result of the unvoicing of d to t before b through dissimilation. However, because forms with Met - are found as early as DB, mægðe 'maythe, may-weed' may perhaps also be thought of as the specific (note Methburne m.13 (1404)), though it should be observed that OE æ usually gives ME a in Leics. with only occasional e forms occurring.

Medbourne, beside the Roman Via Devana (later Gartree Road), is the site of a Romano-British settlement and villa.