Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Basebi 1086 DB

• Baseby 1320 Orig

• Besebi 1086 DB 1180,1181,1182 P Hy2 Ch 1314 Dane Hy2 Gilb a1184 ChancR 1409 HarlCh 1196 P 1202 1204

• Beseby lHy2 Alv 13 RAii e13 Dugdvi 1202 AddCh 1204 Cur 1208 RAiv 1214 Welles 1219 Cur 1225 Fees 1242–43 Pat 1249 ValNor 1254 Ch 1259,1260 Cl 1260 RH 1275,1276 Tax 1291 Ass 1295 Ipm 1295 Pat 1299 Cl 1299 Orig 1300 Pat 1311 Ipm 1311 FA 1431

• Beseby alias Beysbye alias Bleysbye 1554,1561 Pat

• Besebye 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed

• Besabi c.1115 LS

• Beisebi 1162,1163 P

• Beyseby 1249 Pat 1249,1260 Cl

• Besyby eHy3 Gilb 1409

• Bexseby (sic) 1259 Cl

• Besseby 1275 RH 1340 Pat

• Besby 1294 Ass 1316 Ipm 1331 Cl 1359 Cor 1370,1408 Pat 1483 AD

• Beysby 1500 VisitN 1553–5 EPC

• Beisbye 1560 Pat

• Beasby 1548 Pat

• Beesbie a1567 LNQv

• Beesby 1765 Yarb

Etymology

For 16th-18th century variants, v. Hawerby cum Beesby supra .

'Besi's farm, village', v. bȳ . The pers.n. Besi is recorded in DB from L and is considered to have been certainly Scandinavian, v. Feilitzen 201, where a later example of the name, also from L, is given. The etymology of Danelaw Besi is difficult, but it would seem most plausible to link it with ODan  Bøsi , OSwed  Bøse . Besi also occurs in Beesby in the Marsh LSR and Fellows-Jensen prefers to take the first el. of both as being from OE  bēos 'bent-grass', v. SSNEM 35–36. However, p.ns. certainly from bēos have medieval forms in Bes -, not in Bese -, v. e.g. Beeston PN BdHu 107–8, PN Nt 139 and PN YW 3, 217. Beesby is now depopulated and is today represented by Beesby Fm and Beesby Hall. For the latter, v. ad Aulam de Beseby in f.ns. (b).