Bigby
Major Settlement in the Parish of Bigby
Historical Forms
- Bechebi c.1115 Hy2 LS 1409 Gilb 1233 Welles
- Bekebi 1191 P 1192 P 1193 P 1194 P 1195 P 1197 P 1198 P 1199 P 1212 Fees 1219 Ass 1238–43 Fees
- Bekeby c.1200 HMCRutl 1219 Fees 1220 Cur 1242–3 Fees 1245 FF 1248 Cl 1254 ValNor 1273 ADiv 1576 Saxton
- Bekebye 1610 Speed
- Bekebe 1346 FA
- Becby 1303 FA
- Bekby 1425 Pat
- Beckby 1329 Ass
- Beckby als Beakby 1661 Elw
- Beakeby 1634–42 Holles
- Bigby 1526 Sub 1608,1621,1663,1691 BT
- Bigby als Beckby 1656,1674 ib
- Bigbie 1576 LER 1577,1601,1634 Terrier
- Bigbey 1687 SP
- Bygby(e) 1535 VEiv 1553 Pat 1562,1566,1604 BT
- Bygbe 1539 LPxiv
Etymology
This is very probably 'Bekki's farmstead or village', v. bȳ , the first el. being the ODan pers.n. Bekki , as suggested by Ekwall (DEPN s.n.). Fellows-Jensen (SSNEM 36) proposes as an alternative etymology for the first el. the gen.pl. of Scand. bekkr 'a brook', but a local search and enquiry suggests that there is only one stream here which, as Mr Ifor Barton points out, runs down beside the vicarage and along Smithy Lane, and is sometimes referred to as Bigby Water. DB spellings in -ch - are AN forms. In the 16th century a raising of -e - to -i - had taken place, as well as a development of [k] to [g], found also in Bigbury PN D 266–7 etc.