Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Sour(e)by(e) Deyne 1536,1558 Stansf 1587 WillY

• Sowerby Deyne 1576 HAS 1709 WMB

• Sowerby Daine 1624 Greave

• Sowerby Dean(e) 1632,1677 Stansf 1709 WMB 1771 M

• Sawreby Deyne 1588 WillY

• Sawreby Deane 1603 FF

• Daine 1750 Tax

• (the) Dean 1775 Watson

Etymology

Sowerby Dean (lost), Sour (e )by (e ) Deyne 1536, 1558 Stansf, 1587 WillY, Sowerby Deyne 1576 HAS, 1709 WMB, Sowerby Daine 1624 Greave, Sowerby Dean (e )1632, 1677 Stansf, 1709 WMB, 1771 M, Sawreby Deyne 1588 WillY, Sawreby Deane 1603 FF, Daine 1750 Tax, (the ) Dean 1775 Watson 300, 743. 'Sowerby valley', v. denu . From the above references it is clear that the name refers particularly to the northern side of the Ryburn valley in the neighbourhood of Triangle; cf. a similar use of denu in Stanningden 65 supra .