Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Byrnum c.1030 YCh7

• Birum, Byrum 1155 Pont 1175–90 YCh c.1212 Pont 1246 Ass43d a.1266 KF 1334 FF

• Byrun 1268 YI

• Byrom 1285 KI 1324 YDv 1379 PT

• Byrome 1402 FA

• Byrrom 1316 Vill

• Byron 1430 Pat

• Byram 1585 FF

Etymology

The general topographical arrangement of the places named in YCh 7 suggests that Byrnum lying between Sutton infra and Brotherton 45supra is Byram (not Burn 26supra ). But the form Byrnum reflects the influence of Byrne previously given by the scribe for Burn (cf. also a similar repetition in the same charter of the spelling of Brayton in that of Burton Salmon 40supra ). The name clearly goes back to an OE  bȳrum , dat.pl. of bȳre 'cowshed, byre', v. -um .