Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Glus(e)brun 1086 DB

• Glusebrunna 1170 P

• Gluseburn(a), Gluseburne 1182–5 YCh199 13 YDix 1202 FF 1334 FF

• Gluseburne in Ayredale 1328 Banco 1343 YDv

• Gluceburne 1154–81 Furn

• Gloseburn(e) 1276 RH 1298 BltComp38 1351 Puds 1362 YDv

• Glosburn 1507 ib

• Gliseburn 1285 KI

• Glisburne in Craven 1564 Visit

• Glusburn(e) 1316 Vill 1348 FF 1607 FF

• Glowsburne 1557 WillY

• Glousburne 1565,1588 FF

Etymology

This was originally a stream-name and referred to Glusburn Beck.The meaning, as Ekwall suggests, is 'the glittering shining stream', v. burna , ON  brunnr. The name may be of OE or ON origin. The precise form of the first el. is probably an OE  or ON  *glus(s) and the nearest cognates are ON  glys 'finery', glysligr 'gleaming, shining', but it is ultimately related to other series of words like ModE  gloze 'to shine brightly' (cf. also e.ModE glose-worm 'glow-worm'), Du  gloos , MHG  glos (e ) 'gleaming', MHG  glosen 'to shine, shimmer', Swed  dial. glossa 'to gleam, glow'.