Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Redresbi 1086 DB

• Reresbi 1086 DB 1166 LN

• Reresby 1166 RBE 1220 MHW 1225 RHug 1243 Fees 1247 Fine 1508,1509 Rut 1535 VE 1539 MinAccts

• Reresbie 1546 AAS 1549 Pat 1574 LEpis

• Rerisby 1235 RGros 1242 Fees 1259 GildR 1357 Wyg 1362 LCDeeds 1487 Pat 1500 Will

• Rerysby Edw1 Derby 1324 Ass 1402 Pat 1474 Banco

• Resebi c.1130 LeicSurv

• Resebia c.1130 ib

• Resby 1397 Misc

• Reysby 1481 Ct

• Reasby(e) 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed

• Rearesby 1590,1604 SR

• Raresby 1687,1688 LML

• Raersby 1717,1719 ib

• Raisby 1744 Rental 1790 Surv

• Rasby c.1775 Plan

• Rearsby 1835 O 1846 White

• ~ Chaumberleing 1242 Fees

• ~ en le Mere 1372 Pat

• Chaumberlayns 1486 Ipm

• Chamberleyns maner 1506 ib

Etymology

'Hreiðar's farmstead, village', v. bȳ , cf. Rotherby supra . The pers.n. Hreiðarr is ON (ODan  Rethar ). Two affixes are recorded : ~ Chaumberleing 1242 Fees and ~ en le Mere 1372 Pat. Ralph Chamberlain held the manor in the reign of John and the family continued in possession until the reign of Henry VI (1422–61). But note the manor of Rearsby is still called Chaumberlayns 1486 Ipm and Chamberleyns maner 1506 ib, v. maner . The land on which Rearsby stands is low-lying in the Wreake basin. A major stream flows through the village into the river. The surrounding area was evidently once marshy, hence ~ en le Mere , with mere 1 in its sense 'wetland'.