Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Sorebi 1086 DB

• Sorbi l.12 YChviii

• Sourby(e) 13 ADiv 1285–1313 WCR 1316 Pat 1323 MinAcct 1329 ADi 1566 YDv

• Soureby, Sourebi 1274–1307 WCR 1276 RH 1302,1304 Pat 1309 Ext 1316 Vill 1331 Ass5 1465 Pat

• Saurby 1323 WCR

• Sawerby 1453 Pat

• Sawrby 1539 FF

• Sowreby(e) 1416 YI 1546 YChant

• Sowerby(e), Sowerbie 1475 Pat 1558 FF 1571 WillY 1588 FF 1641 Rates

• Sorby(e), Sorbie 1539,1562 PRHfx 1562 WillY 1575 YDii 1609 FF

• Sorebie 1542,1543 WillY

Etymology

'Farmstead on sour ground', v. saurr 'mud, sour land', bȳ . This p.n. is fairly common (Cu, La, YN, etc.). On the later forms v. Phonol. § 8; the Sower - spellings and the StdE pronunciation [ˈsauəbi] are due to the influence of ModE  sour (from OE  sūr 'sour').Sowerby was an important place in the estates of the Earls of Warren (cf. Sowerbyshire 2supra ).