Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Ursaw 1606,1674 Terrier 1745 et passim

• Urser 1762 ib

• Usser 1821 ib

• Ursaw feild 1606,1674 1709 ib

• Oursor Field 1694 ib

• Ursaw Field 1724,1745 ib

• Urser Field 1762 ib

• Usser Field 1821 ib

• Ursaw furlong 1700,1709 ib

• Ursaw Leys 1700,1709,1745,1762 ib

Etymology

, Ursaw 1606, 1674Terrier et passim to 1745ib , Urser 1762ib , Usser 1821ib , cf. Long (e )Ursaw 1606, 1674, 1690, 1703ib ( v. lang 1 ) , Ursaw feild 1606, 1674ib et passim to 1709ib , Oursor Field 1694ib , Ursaw Field 1724, 1745ib ,Urser Field 1762ib , Usser Field 1821ib (v. feld; the name of one of thegreat open-fields of Gilmorton), Ursaw furlong 1700, 1709ib (v. furlang), Ursaw Leys 1700, 1709, 1745, 1762ib ( v. leys ) . The meaning is uncertain and earlier forms are needed , but possible is ' the ploughedenclosure ' , v. ersc , haga 1 . OE  ūr ' a bison ' ( cf. ON úrr 'a kind of ox' ) is unlikely as the specific in the East Midlands , even though the animal is recorded in the north in Urpeth (Du 128) and in Urswick (La 144) where the sense ' wild cattle ' was probably intended , but this is a specific which would sit unhappily with haga ' an enclosure ' or scaga ' a small wood, acopse ' . The masc . pers. n. Urri ( a Norman form of OE  Wulfrīc ) in the possessive case would be formally acceptable as the specific , but one would expect with it a generic in ( ge ) hæg rather than the earlier haga ( cf. Urishay, DEPN s. n . ) .