Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Ascabio 12 CWix,253

• Ascaby 1292 QW

• Aschaby 1158–66 YCh 1294

• Ascheby 1190 Lowth

• Askebi, Askeby 12 Musg c.1150,c.1160 Lowth 1199 P 1202 1212 HMCx,319 1232–5 Weth 1242 P 1246 Knipe 1247 1256 Ass1d Hy6 Rent

• magna- a.1216 Lowth 1279 Ass1d 1292 QW 1415 NWm

• parvo-, parva- 1185 Lowth 1278 Ass8 1292 QW 1415 NWm

• -Cot(t)esford(e), -forth 1286 NB 1345 Cl 1363 Ipm 1392 Cl

• Eskebi c.1216 Lowth

• Haskeby 1252 Lowth

• Aishoby 1317 Pap

• Askby 1362 Leng 1370 Hom

• Asseby(e) 1407 Brm

• Asseby(e) Cottesford 1504–15 ECP

• Myckell Asseby(e), Mikill Asseby(e) 1547 Rent 1564 CWxxi,208

• Little Asseby(e) 1564 ib

• Greate Asseby(e) 1589 Hothf

• Asby 1630 Dep 1703 NicVisit

• Magna Asby 1540 DRH

• Lit(t)le Asby 1428 Fine 1567 Hothf

• Asby Cotesfurthe 1561 ib

• Asby Cotsforth 1776,1792 PR

• Great Assby(e) 1696 PR(Blt)

• Little Assby(e) 1711 PR

• Assby(e) Cotsforth 1724 ib

Etymology

'Farmstead with the ash-trees', v. askr (gen.plur. aska ), bȳ ; the same name occurs in Sweden (Hellquist, ON på -by 5). For the affixes v. micel (Lat  magna ) 'great', lȳtel (Lat  parva ) 'little'; Little Asby is a small hamlet in the south of this parish. The family of Cotesford is frequently named as holding land in Asby, as in 1176 P (p. 160), 1199 (p. 213), 1265 Pat, 1345 Cl (p. 668), 1363 Ipm (p. 245), 1392 Cl (p. 454), etc. (cf. CW xx, 66 ff); the source of the name is unknown, unless it is from Coltsford (ii, 65infra ). Cf. also foll.