Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cheneford 1086 DB

• Keneford 1181 P 1196 ChancR

• Kaneford 1195 P 1210 Cur 1337 Pat

• Caneford(e) 1200 Ch 1335 Cur 1210

• Caneford(e) als. Canford als. Caunford 1440 Pat

• Kanesford 1219 FF

• Cansford 1487 Pat

• Canford(e) 1307 Pat 1341 Cl

• Canford(e) otherwise Caneforde' 1455 Cl

• Mochel Canford 1472 Smith

• Canfford 1529 Ct

• Cannford 1588 AD

• greate Canford 1612 DCM

• - Deed, Canford Magna 1774 Hutch1

• Canneford 1408 Pat 1410

• Candeforde 1550 Midd

Etymology

Probably 'Cana's ford', as suggested by Ekwall DEPN, v. ford (here across R. Stour); an OE  pers.n. Cana is first recorded in DB (cf. Feilitzen 213), but is evidenced in several other p.ns., among them the lost hundred-name of Canendone 'Cana's hill' which lay just N of Canford Magna and which was no doubt named from the same man, v. Badbury hundred infra ; cf. also John Canewei , Roger Canewei , Canewey 1332 SR (taxed under Lytchett Minster par. infra ) whose surname may be from a local p.n. meaning 'Cana's way', v. weg . The absence of any early forms with -nn - makes derivation from OE  canne 'a can' in the topographical sense of 'a hollow' (thus Zachrisson DTR 147, Smith EPN 1 80) unlikely. Mochel -, Great -, -Magna to distinguish it from Little Canford on the other bank of R. Stour in Hampreston par. infra , v. micel , mycel . The bounds of Canford Magna are given in 1822EnclA .