Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• la Bernet, la Barnate 1235 Ass

• Little Bernete 1237 FF

• Frerennebarnethe, Frerenbarnet, Fernebernete 1274 Ass

• Frerenebarnet 1294 GDR

• Freresbarnet 1336 Cl

• Freren Bernett, Friern Bñet 1535 VE

• Fryernbarnet 1550 FF

• Fryan Barnett 1665 ParReg

• Charneres Bernete 1294 Ass

• Sarner(e)sbarnet 1316 FA 1341 NI

• Sarnieres barnatt 1322 Cor

• Frerynbury 1428 FA

• Fryeringe Barnet 1549 Pat

• Freering Barnet 1551 Sess

Etymology

'Place cleared by burning,' v. bærnet . The name originally included all the Barnets, but at an early date East and High Barnet were included in Hertfordshire because they were possessions of St Albans Abbey, cf. PN Herts 70–1. Friern Barnet remained in Middlesex because it belonged to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, whence the later distinctive prefix, freren being a ME  plural of frere , 'brother, frater ,' cf. Fryerning (PN Ess 254). The 1428 reference is probably to the actual manor house, v. burh (manorial) and Introd. xvi.