Colburn
Major Settlement in the Parish of Catterick
Historical Forms
- Corburne 1086 DB
- Colebrun(n) 12 Leon66d 1208 Ass 13 Easby
- Coleburn' 1198 Cur 1219 Ass 1260 Easby
- Colebron 1280 YI
- Colburn(e) 13 RichReg
- Cowburne, Cowborn 1574 FF 1577 Saxton
Etymology
The name was originally a river-name referring to Colburn Beck; v. burna (brunnr). The first element is probably OE col 'cool' or OE col, ON kol 'coal,' the latter being an allusion to the dark colour of the water, as in the Norw river-name Kola .Colburn, therefore, means either 'cool stream' or 'coal-black stream.' For the DB form v. IPN 106.