Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Uluricebi, Vluricebi 1086 DB

• Wirichebi 1086 DB

• Wulfrichesbi c.1115 LS

• Wolurikesbi 1202 Ass

• Wulurikesbi 1209 P

• Wlfriohebi (sic) c.1115 LS

• Wlfrechebi c.1115 LS

• Wulurikebi 1202,1219 Ass

• Wulfrikeby Hy2 Stix l13 LAHW 1209–35 FF 1231

• Wlfrikeby 1229 Cur 1268 Ch

• vulfrikeby 1301 FF

• Wulfrichebi Hy3 HarlCh

• Wlfricbie 1148–52 LAASvii c.1150 TYR

• Wlfricbi 1212 Fees

• Wlfricbia 1212 ib

• Wlrikeby eHy2 NCot e13 ValNor 1254 RRGr 1271 HMCRutl 1289

• Wlrykeby 1291 Tax

• Wolrikeb' 1185 Templar

• Wolrikeby 1271–72 Ass 1298 Ass 1328 Banco 1335 Pat

• Wolrykeby 1271 Ass

• Wolrickeby 1287 ib

• Wulrikeby 1226 FF 1242–43 Fees 1282 FF 1289 Cl 1338 Pat

• Wolrekeby 1291 Tax

• Wolrickby 1314 Ipm

• Wolricby (iuxta Bondeby) 1314 FF 1343 NI 1346 FA 1373,1375,1376 Peace

• Wolrikby 1315 Ipm 1316 FA 1332 SR 1354 Cor

• Wolrikby “by Elsham” 1360 Cl 1362 Pat 1387 Peace

• Wolrykby 1327 SR 1431 FA 1534 AS

• Wolrichby 1315 Cl

• Wolrekby 1428 FA 1534 AS

• Wlricbi 1238–43 Fees 1289 Ipm

• Wolrigby 1303 FA 1335 Pat 1346 FA 1354 Fine 1412 AS 1428 FA 1448 Ass

• Wolriby 1354 Orig 1354 Ipm 1373,1381 Peace

• Wolryby 1328 FA

• Wulryby 1338 Misc

• Wlreby 1402 FA

• Worleby 1395 Peace

• Worleby iuxta Elsham 1420–21 AD 1449–53 ECPxii

• Worleby “by Saxby” 1460,1461 Pat 1494 Ipm 1526 Sub 1664 Terrier

• Worlebie 1553 Pat 1562–67 LNQv

• Worlebee 1695 Pryme

• Worleyby 1538–39 Dugdvi

• Worlyby 1542 AS

• Wurleby 1502 Ipm

• Worlaby 1478 FF

• Worlaby al's Worletby 1636 AS 1668,1674,1678 Terrier

• Worlaby alias Worletby 1717 LCC

• Worlaby otherwise Worletby 1764 ib

• Worlabie 1552 Pat

• Worlabey 1574 AS

• Worlabye 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed 1638 Monson 1724,1730 Terrier

• Worelaby 1535 VEiv

• Werliby 1402 Cl

• Wirlaby 1491 Ipm

• Wirleby 1519 DVi

• Worletby 1546,1577,1619 AS 1638,1690,1697,1703 Terrier

• Worletbye 1539 LPxiv

• Worletbye alias Worlebye 1594 AS

• Worletbie 1573 1579,1601,1606,1612 Terrier

• Worlettbie c.1580 AS

• Wollerby 1402 AS

Etymology

'Wulfrīc's farmstead or village', from the OE  pers.n. Wulfrīc and Scand. bȳ, identical with Worlaby in Hill Wapentake LSR. The two DB spellings in Ulu - presumably are Scandinavianised forms. It is noteworthy that only a bare handful of spellings with the OE  gen.sg. -es has so far been noted for this name. On the other hand forms in medial -e - are very common from DB to the late 13th century and probably represent the ODan gen.sg. in -a , as suggested by Ekwall, IPN 62, rather than being a svarabhaktic vowel between -c - and -b -. It is sometimes described as near Bonby, Elsham and Saxby All Saints.