May Williamson: The Non-Celtic Place-Names of the Scottish Border ...

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and Durham contain only a sprinkling of Scandinavian names, but these include nine in -by.
In areas of intensive settlement such as Yorkshire, Cumberland and Westmorland, the number
of by-names is very large. Ekwall states that “There is reason to believe that all or practically
all English place-names in -by are Scandinavian in the strictest sense” (IPN i, 57). The
element persisted in living use in ME into the 11 th and 12 th centuries: witness such names as
Lockerbie, Pearsby, Dmf, and Botcherby, Cu, which are compounded with Norman personal
names. Several names in Dumfriesshire seem to have been formed about this time, when -by
had become an element in the local ME speech: cf Albie, Canonbie, Mumbie, Sibbaldbie.
Lindkvist notes that the term may have been in use in the Northern ME dialect, and that
unless the first element of a name ending in -by is Scandinavian, the compound may well be
of English formation (Lindkvist, lii, ff).
/282/
BERWICKSHIRE
CORSBIE (Grd): (81, 3A):
Crossebie, 1309 RC; Corsby (P), 1396 Rot Scac; 1441 (16 th ) APS; Cros- 1506-7 RMS;
Corsbie, 1556 HMC (March). This may be ODan krossa-bý, “farm of the crosses”, although
no tradition of monuments is preserved here.
DUMFRIESSHIRE
ALBIE (Mid): (89, 5 D):
A(u)ldbie, 1631, 1643 Reg Sas Dmf. If this is a Scandinavian formation it must represent ON
Alla býr from the personal name Alli: cf Alloby (Lind, 20). It may, however, be a ME
compound, alde-by, “old hamlet”.
ALBIERIG (Can): (89, 10 C):
Albyrig, 1590 RPC; Oldby, Blaeu. See previous example.
BOMBIE HILL (Wstk): (85, 7 J):
Bundeby, 1296 Inst Pub; Bomby, 1329-71 RC; 1546 RPC; Bond- 1500 HMC (Drml); Bonth-
1560 RMS; Boun-, Blaeu. *Bombie does not now exist; the name is preserved in the hill. The
first element is an ON personal name Bóndi: cf Bomby, We (PN CuWe, 135), and Bonby, L
(DEPN, 49).
CANONBIE (Can): (89, 9 D):
Canenby, 1296 DIHS; Canon-, 1296 CDS; Cana-, 1493 CDS; Cano-, 1494 ib; 1531 CSP
(Th); Cannabye, 1552 /283/ Bullock. The present local pronunciation omits the second n. ME
canon-by, “canons’ village”. An Augustinian priory was founded here in the 12 th century.
DENBIE (Dlt): (88, 14 E):
Daneby, 1304 CDS; Dene-, 1507-8 RMS; Denvy, 1542 ib; Danbie, 1618 Reg Sas Dmf;
Deinbee, Blaeu. ON Dana-býr, “settlement of Danes”: cf Danby (PN YNR, 131), Denaby,
YWR, Denby, YWR, Denby Db, (DEPN, 135).
DUNNABIE (Mid): (89, 5 B):
Dundoby, 1452 HMC (Drml); Dundonby, 1511-12 ib (n = u ); Dundoubye, 1557-8 ib;
Tundenby, c 1620 ib. The first part of the compound is doubtful. It may represent Gael dun
dubh, “black fort”, as the place looks across the valley to the earthwork on Birrens Hill.