English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Somerby

Major Settlement in the Parish of Somerby

Historical Forms

  • Sumerledeby 1190–96 Whitby c.1240 Whitby 1100–15 Whitby 14 Whitby a1135 15 1174–79 c.1240
  • Summerledeby 1100–15 Whitby Ed3
  • Sumertebi, Summertebi 1086 DB
  • Sumeretebi 1219 Ass
  • Sumereteby 1254 ValNor
  • Someretteby 1291 Tax
  • Sumeretbi 1238–43 Fees
  • Sumeretby 1242–43 1245 FF 1338 Pat
  • (North) Someretby 1274 Ipm 1303 FA 1308 Ipm 1316 FA 1450 LDD
  • Sumeretbi l13 Percy 14
  • Somertby besydes Bekeby 1557 VisitN
  • Somertby Iuxta bekby 1562 BT
  • Sumerdebi c.1115 LS 1212 Fees
  • Sumerdeb' 1204 Cur
  • Summerdeby 1242–43 Fees
  • Somerdeby 1287 Abbr 1335 Pat
  • Sumeredeby a1221,1234 Welles 1315 Ipm
  • Sumeredby 1279 RRGr
  • Sumerdby 1240–45 RAiv
  • Somerebi 1194 CurP
  • Sumereby c.1234 BS
  • Somerby 1332 SR 1343 NI 1346 FA 1368 Ipm 1375 Works 1428,1431 FA
  • Somerby next Bigby 1664,1668,1671 Terrier
  • Somerbye 1552 Pat 1556 ASSRxxxvii 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed
  • Somerbie 1576 LER 1593 BT 1635 Terrier
  • Sumerbie 1638 ib
  • Someresby 1428 FA
  • Somersby 1548 ChantCert

Etymology

'Sumarliði's farmstead or village', v. . The first el. is the Scand  pers.n. Sumarliði , an original byname, probably meaning 'the summer traveller', which is recorded six times in L (all in Lindsey) in DB. The spellings in DB, Summerled (2x), Summerlede , Sumerled , Summerd and Summerde are paralleled by forms found in the p.n. Somerby. Identical in origin are probably Somerby LWR, Somerby Kest, Somersby LSR and Somerby in Lei.