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.

Yearby

Early-attested site in the Parish of Kirkleatham

Historical Forms

  • Uverby 1174–9 Guis 1539 Dugdvi.275
  • Overby 1270,1395 Guis
  • Ureby 1579 FF 1611 NR
  • Yerbye 1577 Saxton
  • Urierby 1609 BM
  • Eureby 1615 NR

Etymology

'Upper farm' from OE  ufera and by. Cf. Ovrebi (DB) the name of a lost place in Whitby. The development of Uverby to Ureby (= [iurbi]) is due to the vocalisation of medial -v -.The change of Ure - or Eure - to Year - is normal in the dialect (v. Introd. xxxiii).

Places in the same Parish