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.

Birdforth

Major Settlement in the Parish of Husthwaite

Historical Forms

  • Brudeford 1199 Pap 1219 FF 1244,1252 Ass 1253 Ch 1279–81 QW 1293
  • Burdeford 1226 Pat
  • Bruddeford 1286 YI 1291 Fine 1301 LS
  • Brouddesforth 1296 YI
  • Birdford 1485 Test
  • Birdfurth 1537 Dugdvi.199
  • Burdforth 1564 FF
  • Bridforth 1577 Saxton

Etymology

v. also Birdforth wapentake 179 supra , where there is earlier evidence for the name than there is here.

The origin of the first element is obscure, for there is no pers. name like OE  Brudda recorded or otherwise known from place-names. Such a name might, however, have existed; probably as a hypocoristic form of such an OE  dithematic name as Burgheard with later metathesis from Burda to Brudda . The ON  by-name Brúðr (LindBN) is also a possibility; ð (which is found in the 11th cent. form of the wapentake name) was changed to d , perhaps by analogy with OE  brȳd 'bride'; cf. also ON  kið and ME  kid 'kid.'

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Major Settlement