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.

Groombridge

Early-attested site in the Parish of Withyham

Historical Forms

  • Gromƀgg' 13th Lewes
  • Gromenebregge 1318 FF
  • Grombrugg 1355 FF
  • Grumbrygge c.1480 ECP2,252
  • Grunbregge 1497 Pat
  • Groomebridge 1601 SRS19,188

Etymology

Groombridge is Gromƀgg '13thLewes , Gromenebregge 1318 FF, Grombrugg 1355 FF, Grumbrygge c. 1480 ECP 2, 252, Grunbregge 1497 Pat, Groomebridge 1601 SRS 19, 188. This is clearly a compound of brycg and ME  grome , 'boy, servant, etc.,' but we do not know how the name arose. Gromene - shows the weak gen. pl. suffix found sporadically in the declension of ME nouns. Cf. Gromenecroft in Ifield (1312 AD vi).