English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Kirkby Thore

Major Settlement in the Parish of Kirkby Thore

Historical Forms

  • Kirk(e)bi, Kyrk(e)bi, -by thore 1179,l.12 HolmC 1199–1225 CWxvii,228 1200–10 Crk37 1206 FF 1220–30 Weth 1223 Pat 1256 Ass3d 1752 PR(Mlb)
  • -thor 1243 Macheli,2 1278 Ass2d 1352 Pap
  • -tor 1288 ib
  • -thur(e) 1292 QW 1403 Pat 1410 Fine 1820 EnclA
  • -Thorne 1330 Ipm
  • -Thurne 1353 Pat
  • -Thuer 1671 Fleming
  • Kierkebi 1202 P
  • Kirbethure 1630 PR(Wp)
  • Kirby Thure 1668 CliffordL
  • -thoore 1700 PR(B)

Etymology

'Village with a church', v. kirkju-. The affix (from the ON  pers.n. Þórir ) is doubtless the name of some early unidentified owner.