Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bytlesbroch, Bitlesbroch 1086 DB

• Bitlebroc 1186 P

• Bitebroc 1196 ChancR 1197,1198 P

• Byttlesbrok', Bittlesbrok' 1263,1286,1288 Ass 1328 Banco

• Buttlesbrok 1265 FF

• Betelesbrok 1294 Ass

• Bittel(l)esbroc, Bittel(l)isbroc 1321 Rut 1327 SR

• Bittel(l)isbro(c)k' 1254 Val 1302 BM 1328 Banco

• Bittel(l)isbrook' 1302 AddCh

• Byssebrok(e), Bissebrok(e) c1291 Tax 1297 OSut 1335,1359,1367 Rut 1394 1534 et passim

• Bissebroc(k) 1265 RGrav 1339,1418 Rut

• Bissebrook' 1417,1468 ib

• Bysbrok(e), Bisbrok(e) 1394 Rut 1428 FF 1460 Rut 1518,1530 1557 et passim

• Bisbrooke 1520 1610 Speed

• Bisbrooke al's Pisbrooke 1681 Anc

• Bysbrook or Pisbrook 1684 Wright

• Pyssebrok' 1427 Rut

• Pysbroke, Pisbroke 1442 Rut 1450 FH 1454,1477 Rut 1555 DuLa 1586 Recov

• Pisbrook(e) 1591 Rut 1746 Anc

• æt Bitelanwyrthe 956 (12) BCS 952 (S 601)

Etymology

The first element appears initially to be an OE  pers,n. in the gen.sg., either Byttel (as in Bittesby Lei) or Bitel whose weak form Bitela is found in æt Bitelanwyrthe 956 (12) BCS 952(S 601). However, the compounding of a pers.n. with brōc 'a stream' is rare. A common occurrence is for brōc to be prefixed by the name of a creature which haunts it, as in Padbrok ' (Burley f.ns. (b), with padde 'a toad'). In Bittlewell (v. Leighfield f.ns. (b)), wella 'a stream' is most probably compounded with bitela 'a beetle', presumably used of the water-beetle, and it is likely that Bisbrooke is a parallel formation, but with a strong noun bitel . Such a form is recorded in þa blacan betlas 'the black beetles' (Wülcker 456), pointing to a nom.sg. betel . Hence, Bisbrooke is possibly 'the stream infested by water-beetles'; otherwise 'Byttel's (or Bitel's) stream', v. bitel , brōc .