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.

Birdingbury

Major Settlement in the Parish of Birdingbury

Historical Forms

  • Byrtingabirig 1043 KCD916 17th
  • Burtingbury c.1045 17th ib
  • Berdingeberie, Derbingerie (sic) 1086 DB
  • Burthingberi c.1195 AddCh
  • Burthebire 1199 FF
  • Burthebury 1316 FA
  • Burthingbire 1221 FF
  • Burthingbur' 1247 ib
  • Burthingbury 1262 Ass 1279 Nott 1306 AD 1312 Ch 1316 FF 1325 Cl
  • Burthyngbury 1317 Ass 1333 FF
  • Burthiggebir' c.1240 BirmDeed
  • Burthin(g)bure 1242 Fees 1291 Tax
  • Burthin(g)bury 1369 ADvi
  • Burthingebur' 1247 Ass
  • Burdingeberi 1206 Cur
  • Burdingebiri 1221 Pap
  • Byrthingeberi 1221 FF
  • Birthingbury 1288 Ass
  • Burdingbir(i) 1247,1265 ib
  • Burdingbury 1316 Ipm 1363 ADii
  • Burdinggebury 1330 Ass
  • Berdyngbury 1260 ib
  • Brudyngbury 1313 Ipm 1380 Cl
  • Bourdyngbury 1315 Ass
  • Burdebery 1373 ADvi 1401 IpmR
  • Burdurbury 1535 VE
  • Birdebury 1545 LP
  • Byrburye 1524 SR
  • Birdingeburie al. Burberie 1580 FF
  • Burbury al. Burdingbury 1627 Recov
  • Birbury 1774 Poll

Etymology

The first two forms are from late transcripts and are of no value. The later forms leave it uncertain whether the OE  form was Byrðinga - byrig or Byrdinga-byrig . Either is possible, as can be seen from the early interchange of byrðen and byrden , 'burden.'Karlström (98) connects the first element with the OGer  pers. names Burdo , Burdin (Förstemann PN 346) and with the pers. name which lies behind the Swedish p.n. Byrdhinge (Hellquist 18). These would suggest an OE  pers. name Byrd , hence 'burh or stronghold of Byrd 's people,' v. burh . Cf. (in ) Byrdingcwican (KCD 764) in the bounds of Elmley (Wo).

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site