Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cherchebi, Chirchebi 1086 DB

• Kirkebi, Kyrkebi, Kyrkeby 12 Sawl125 l.12 YDvi 1212 Abbr 1242 Ebor 1560 WillY

• Kirkby, Kyrkby 1355 Percy 1409,1441 DiocV 1759 LdsM

• -Hornblower 1212 Abbr

• -Hornblawer 1315 Pat

• -Oreblawer, -Oreblauers 1242,1329 Ebor 1355

• -Oreblowere 1312 Abbr

• -Orblawer(s), -Orblauers 1279–81 QW 1281 Ch 1285 KI 1303 KF 1391 Testi

• -Orblowers 1305 Ebor

• -Oureblowers, -Overblowers, -Ouerblowers, -blawers 1355 Percy 1409,1441 DiocV 1442,1465 Pat

• -Orblaws 1449 YDii

• -Ourblaws 1531 Testiv

• -Ouerblawez, -Overblawez, -ys, -es 1475 YDvi 1482 YDix 1556 TudPD

• -blas 1548 YChant

• -blause 1551 WillY

• -blawse 1560 ib

• -Overblowes 1521 WillY 1539 FF 1617 FF

• -Overblows 1641 Rates

• -Overblowe 1759 LdsM

• -Fer(r)ers 1286,1301 Ebor 1304 1428 FA

Etymology

'Church-farm', v. kirkju-bȳ. The affix is from OE  ōra-blāwere 'ore-blower, smelter' (equivalent to the OFr  affix ferrer 'ironworker'); it is an allusion to smelters who were once common in the district (cf. Speight, Kirkby Overblow 12 ff); cf. also the f.ns. Erbelow infra . The earliest form Hornblower is due to folk-etymology, and Over - in later forms is an inversion due to the dial. pronunciation of over and ore as [ouə].