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.

Kingsbury

Major Settlement in the Parish of Kingsbury

Historical Forms

  • Kynges byrig 1044–46 KCD843
  • Chingesberie 1086 DB
  • Chingesbiri 1219 Pap
  • Kingesbir' 1199 Cur 1316 FA
  • Kiggesbire (sic) 1199 Cur
  • Kynkesbury 1294 Ass
  • Kynnesbur' 1310 FF

Etymology

'The king's manor or stronghold,' v. burh . Cf. Kingsbury (PN Herts 89). The manor was granted to Westminster Abbey by Edward the Confessor. In OE  times the present parish of Kingsbury was included within the bounds of the manor of Tunworth infra 62.

The association of the place with a king goes back at least to 957 when the woodland in the parish is referred to in the phrase ( ðæs ) cinges inwuda (BCS 994).