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.

Farnborough

Major Settlement in the Parish of Farnborough

Historical Forms

  • Feornebeorh c.1015 KCD1312 c.1200
  • Ferneberg(e) 1086 DB 1211 RBE 1245 Pap
  • Farnburgh 1221 Ass 1535 VE
  • Farmborrow 1675 Ogilby
  • Farenburgh 1422 Pat
  • Farmborough 1632 Sess
  • Farmbrow 1724 FF

Etymology

'Fern or bracken hill,' v. fearn , beorg . “And, probably, had at first that name from the naturall disposition of the soil to bear Ferne , the later syllable Berge signifying in our old English a little Hill, as we see the ground, whereon the town Stands, is” (Dugdale 411). Cf. Farnborough (Ha, K) and le Farnput (1246 FF) in this parish.

Places in the same Parish