During the Middle Ages, according to the Wrexham historian Alfred N. Palmer, Borras (then called Borrasham) formed two townships of the mesne manor of Isycoed, itself one of the manors of the marcher lordship of Bromfield; the townships were known as Borrasham Hwfa and Borrasham Riffri. It is known that an extensive farmed rabbit warren was in existence in the area at the time. Palmer noted that the name Borrasham was also written Burras or Borras (possibly from the Old English "beorgas", "burial-mounds"), and that the latter forms came to be used for the township in order to avoid confusion with Bersham.