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.

Long Buckby

Major Settlement in the Parish of Long Buckby

Historical Forms

  • Buchebi 1086 DB 1190 P
  • Buckebi 1175 P
  • Buckeby, Buckby 1284 FA
  • Bukebi 1189 P 1361 Cl
  • Bokeby 1264 Ipm 1316 FA
  • Bockeby 1291 ADv 1310 Ipm 1344 Pat
  • Bokkeby 1391 ADiv
  • Longe Bugby 1565 Recov
  • Longbuggbeye 1595 NRSiii
  • Longbugby 1599 Recov
  • Bugbey 1702 Poll

Etymology

The first element here is probably a pers. name. We have in ON  a pers. name Bukkr . This should give Late OE  Bukke with gen. Bukkes . Possibly the existence of a weak Old English name Bucca led to the development of a would-be weak form in the Anglo-Scandinavian name. The alternative is to believe that Buckeby has replaced earlier Buccanbyrig , cf. Badby supra 10 and Introd. xxii. In 1437 (Ct ) we have mention of a Bukwelsyde in Buckby. The village is so called from its length (Bridges i, 564).