Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Usebruna 1086 DB

• Vsebrun 1252 Font

• Vseburn(e), Useburn(e) 1086 DB 1155–70 YCh236 1169,1190 P 1170–1201 YCh734,737

• Useburn Parva 1246 Ass33 l.13 Font 1303 KF 1316 Vill

• Usburn(e) 1198 Fount 1276 RH

• Usburn parva 1198 Fount 1285 KI 1481 Fabr

• Litle Usburn 1525 Fount 1673 Dep

• Lyttle Usburn 1588 FF

• Littelusseburne l.12 Font

• Huseburn' 1243 Fees

• Owsburne 1610 YDv

Etymology

Little Ouseburn and Great Ouseburn (78infra ) are on either side of a stream called Ouse Gill Beck (infra ) which runs into the R. Ouse.North of the confluence the Ouse becomes the Ure. Ouseburn was clearly the original name of the stream and it seems probable that it takes its name from the Ouse (RNs.) and means 'stream which flows into or is the source of the R. Ouse', v. burna (with one or two spellings in -brun influenced by ON  brunnr).