Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Kyrchebeia 1146 RAi

• Kirchebeia 1162 ib

• Kirchebi 1163 ib

• Kirkebi m12,l12 Dugdvi

• Kirkeby 1209–35 LAHW 1214 RAiv c.1221,1223 Welles 1247–48 RRG 1254 ValNor 1346 FA 1556 Td'E

• Kirkeb' 1242–43 RRG

• Cirkebi 1200 Cur

• Kyrkeb' c.1167 RAiv

• Kyrkeby 1211–12 RBE 1272 Dugdvi 1291 Tax 1303 FA 1327 SR 1406–7 RRep 1559 Pat

• Kyrkeby juxta Rasyn' 1405 RRep

• Chirchebi c.1160 Dugdvi

• Kyrkby 1526 Sub 1535 VEiv 1536–37 Dugdvi

• Kyrkby iuxta Owresby 1542 Monson

• Kyrkby “next” Owresby 1550 Pat

• Kyrkbye (nere Owresbye) 1566 Monson

• Kyrkbe 1472 WillsPCC

• Kirkbie 1562–67 LNQv

• Kirkbye 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed

• Kirkby 1576 LER 1602,1647,1655 Monson

• Kirkby Willoes 1556 LNQxiv

• Kyrby 1535 VEiv

• Kyrby alias Kyrkby next Owresby alias Owersby 1566 Pat

• Kirby alias Kirkby iuxta Owresby alias Owersby 1566 Monson

• Krikby 1655 Monson

• Kerkbe 1731 TLE

Etymology

This is a Scand. compound of kirkja and bȳ , 'the village with a church', identical with Kirkby Green, KirkbyLaythorpe, Kirkby Underwood Kest, and Kirkby on Bain and East Kirkby LSR, cf. SSNEM 57–58. The generally held current view is that the compound *kirkju -bȳ was normally given to villages in which the Danes found a church on their arrival and therefore that these were existing villages taken over and renamed by the new settlers.The place is described as near Rasen and Owersby . Only a single example of the affix Willoes has been noted, v. wilig 'a willow' in the pl.