Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Birle, Byrle 1086 DB 1195 YCh 13 Kirkst 1202 FF 1217 Bodl133b 1240 FF 1283 Ch 1537 WYD

• North Birle 1536 FF 1537 WYD 1545 LS

• North Birel 1303 Aid

• (North) Byrell' 1316 Vill

• Birell, Byrell 1412 WYD 1449 Pat

• Northberel 1521 WYD

• Birill, Byrill, Biryll 1418 YI 1446 WillY 1465 Calv

• North Birill 1303 KF 1379 PT 1557 YDi 1561 FF

• Byrille 1465 BM

• Byirlay 1545 WillY

• Northbiarley 1608 WYD

• North Bierle, Byerle 1573 YDi 1587–1615 FF 1690 WYD

• Bierlay, Byerlay, Bierley 1545 TestLds

• North Bierlay 1597 SessnR 1599 WYD 1606,1623 FF 1636 Arm 1641 Rates

• North Byreley 1658 WillS

Etymology

North Bierley and East Bierley 26infra cannot be derived from either hyll or lēah 'clearing', since none of the spellings has any of the characteristic ME  forms of those elements; -ley does not appear until the sixteenth century and then it must be an analogical formation from the numerous local p.ns. which do contain lēah , probably preceded by stress-shifting from Bírèl (e ) to Bírlè (cf. LMS i, 53).As Goodall 72 proposed, the name is from an OE  *bȳrel , formed from OE  būr1 'a cottage, a dwelling' with the noun-forming suffix -el3 (v. EPN i, 149); he notes an early Germ  p.n. Burela , which may be identical. OE  bȳrel would denote something like 'small dwelling'.