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.

Burcot

Early-attested site in the Parish of Bromsgrove

Historical Forms

  • Bericote 1086 DB
  • Biricote 1221,1275 Ass 1380 LibPens
  • Buricote 1255 FF 1275 Ass
  • Byrcote 1275 SR 1504 Ct
  • Bercote c.1300 Nash 18th
  • Burcott Yeld 1595 Wills
  • Bircoate 1653 FF

Etymology

This must be a compound of OE  byrig (gen. sg.) and cot just as Bierton (PN Bk 147) seems to be a compound of byrh (gen. sg.) and tun . This place would be related to the royal manor of Bromsgrove in the same way that Bierton was to Aylesbury (Bk). Elde , Yelde or Yield is the name given to the areas into which certain parishes, notably Bromsgrove, Alvechurch and King's Norton, were divided for purposes of taxation. It must be associated with OE  gieldan , 'to pay,' gield , 'payment.'