Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cherkaby Stephan 1090–7 Kend

• Cherkebi Stephan 1176 Pipe

• Kerkeby Stephan 1471 Pat

• Kircabistephan 1157 YCh

• Kirk(e)bi, Kyrk(e)bi, -by 1200 P

• -Stephan(i) 1133–47 Weth 1198 P 1218 Weth 1224 FF 1268 Pat 1652 DdSale

• -Steffan 1196 P 1197,1202 Pipe 1204 Weth 1272 Misc 1550 FF

• -Stefan 1292 Ass32 1366 ChancM 1402 Pat

• -Stephen 1410 Fine Hy6 Rent 1704 NicVisit

• -stefyn 1446 Cl

• -Staven 1544 FF 1779 PR(Asb)

• -Staphyn, - Staffen 1546 AOMB

• -stayvin 1581 PR(R)

• Kirkbytown 16 Musg

• Kierkebi 1201 P

• Kierkebi Stephan 1202 P

• Kirby steven 1626,1628,1672 PR(R) 1675 Ogilby

• Kirby steaven 1657 Comm

• Kirby stephan 1670 CliffordL

• Corkby Steven 1573 NCWills

Etymology

'Farmstead or village with a church', v. kirkju-bý. Like Kirkby Lonsdale and Kirkby Kendal (i, 42, 114 supra ), this place became the centre of a large ecclesiastical parish. There is some doubt about the origin of the affix Stephen ; NB 533 suggests that it comes from the dedication of the church to St Stephen, and Ekwall that it was from an early unidentified owner; there was a Henry de Sancto Stephano in 1198 P, but the affix cannot, in view of its occurrence in the early 12th century, be from him; the church was given by Ivo Taillebois to St Mary's York, of which Stephen was an early abbot (cf. Weth 412), and the affix may refer to him.