Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Smaleberga, Smalberga 1066 DB

• Smaleberg 1101–7 Holme

• Smaleberga 1177 P

• Smalberga 1183 Holme

• Smalberge 1147–9 Holme 1263 Holme 1307 Banco

• Smaleberge 1176 NCReg 1254–75 Val 1275 RH 1283 NfA

• Smaleberwe 1221(p),1222 Cur 1269 Ass 1340 AD

• Smaleberg' 1221 Cur

• Smalbergh' 1222 Cur 1313 FF 1363 Seld

• Smalberghe 1257,1286 Ass 1316 FF

• Smaleberghe 1269 Ass

• Smaleberewe 1275 RH

• Smalleberhe 1286 Ass

• Smalebregge 1286 ib

• Smalbergh 1313to1358 FF 1328 Banco 1330 SR 1346to1508 Pat 1346,1402,1428 FA 1535 VE

• Smalebergh 1316 1317 Bodl 1327 Banco

• Smalberg 1334 AD

• Smalberowe 1470 Pat

• Smeleberg' 1181 P

• Smeleberga 1182to1185 P

• Smaleburghe 1257 Ass

• Smaleburoue 1297 FF

• Smalboroughe 1535 VE

• Smalburgh 1535 1548 Pat

• Sma'boro 1610 Speed

• Smalburgh 1659 CtBeestonLeames

• Aldeberga 1086 DB, etc.

• Berc 1086 DB

• Suthberg 1291 Tax, etc.

• Wineberga 1086 DB, etc.

Etymology

'Beorg on the river Smale ', v. beorg 'hill, mound'. Smale is the old name of the river Ant, recorded as Smale , Smalee 1363, Smale Ee 1367 Seld (ERN), from OE  smæl 'narrow' and ēa 'river'.Ekwall suggests the possibility that beorg here signifies 'river-bank' and adduces parallel examples from YN: Sualeberg 15th c. on the River Swale and Wiscberg 1256 on the Wiske (DEPN s.n., ERN 372). In a number of Nf place-names -burg has been substituted for original -berg : Alburgh, Earsham Hundred (Aldeberga 1086 DB, etc.), Southburgh, Mitford Hundred (Berc 1086 DB, Suthberg 1291 Tax, etc.), Whinburgh, Mitford Hundred (Wineberga 1086 DB, etc.).

VH Nf (I 333) reports that “at Smallburgh in 1856 some beads of coloured glass and amber, such as are usual in Anglo-Saxon graves, were found with fragments of a vase, perhaps a cinerary urn”.