Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bircha 1194–5 SAC

• Birch c.1270 SAC 1672 HTR

• Byrche Hy8 RentSur

• Leybyrch 1545 SBL17285 1773

• Birche Growndes 1609 SBL17410

• Birch Park 1833 OS

Etymology

v. birce 'birch tree'. The forms give no indication of a plural, such as is found in those for Much Birch He and Little Birch He (HePN 33) and Birch Hall Db (PN Db 115), so this name may derive from a collective use of the singular. Another instance of such usage may be Birch Fm in Frilsham, Berks (PN Berks 246), which is Birche , Burch ' 1202. The 1545 form has the French definite article prefixed.