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.

Byland Abbey

Major Settlement in the Parish of Kilburn

Historical Forms

  • Beghland(a) 1142–3 BylD 1140–60 YCh 1231 FF
  • Beiland(a), Beyland c.1150 Riev 1167 P 1242 Cl
  • Bellalanda 1153 Jerv 1287 Ebor
  • Beland' 1162 P 1354 FF
  • Begheland 1225 Pat 1228,1237 Cl
  • Bellaund 1285 KI
  • Biland(a), Byland 1285 KI 1375 Barbour'sBruce

Etymology

'Bega's land' v. land . The OE  pers. name Bēga or Bēaga enters also into Bayham (Sx), Baydon (W), and Beeley (Db), Begelie 1086 DB.

On the spellings Beland , v. Zachrisson, Studier i modern språkvetenskap v. 16. The form Bellalanda is Latin and shows confusion of the first element with OFr  bel , 'beautiful.'