Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bernlege c.1030 YCh7

• Berlai(a), Berley(e), Berlay(e) 1086 DB 1130–9 YChvi Hy1 Dugdvi 1154–81,e.13 YChvi 13 Selby 1204 FF 1214 Abbr 1250 YI 1251 FF 1498 Ipm

• Berlegh 13,c.1246 Selby

• Berle 1218 FF

• Barlow(e) 1458 YDiii 1641 Rates 1665 PRClt

• Barley 1469,1472 Pat 1519 FF 1641 Rates

• Barle 1520 BM

• Borley 1605 FF

• Bearla 1685 SelbyW

Etymology

The OE form suggests that the first el. is OE  bern 'barn' (v. bere- ærn) or possibly OE  beren2 'growing with barley', later reduced simply to bere 'barley'. In any event, loss of -n - in such a combination is common (cf. Farnley Tyas ii, 267supra , Fairburn 48infra ).v. lēah .