Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Atrem 1086 DB

• Atrum 1086 Exon 1166 RBE R1(1372),1225(1372) ChrP 1189 Ch 1313 Weld2 13

• Attrum 1210 P

• Atrom 1200 Cur 1225 FF

• Atron 1200–1 Abbr

• Attrom 1269 Ch

• Atram 1268 Ass 1312,1316 Brid 1331,1409 HarlCh 1340 NI 1347 FF 1375 IpmR 1412 FA 1863 Hutch3

• Atram Bryonis 1328 Brid

• Atram Brian 1343 AddCh

• Atram Bryan 1481 Brid

• Attram 1346 FA

• Lower Atram 1811 OS

• Atram Farm 1839 TA

• Atheru' 13 Weld2

• Athram 1303 FA

• Aterham 1280 Ass

• Estaterham 1311 Drew

• Atreham 1332 SR 1340

• Ateram 1431 FA

• Atraham (briaunt) 1527 Weld2 1558 Weld2

• Aterham bryaunt 1560 Weld2

• Att'iam 1462 Weld2

• Ataham schrodan' 1563 Weld2

Etymology

As pointed out by Fägersten 292, the various places sharing this name (which include Hr Atrim, Atrim Common Ctg and Atrim Gore all in Symondsbury par. infra as well as Atrim, Lr Atrim Fm and Atrim Bridge in this par.) are all situated close to R. Simene, and he may well be right in supposing that Atrim preserves the original name of that stream. The r.n. Simene itself is a late back-formation from Symondsbury, although interestingly Hutch3 2 239 refers to 'the river Simene (better known as the river Atram)'. In any case, the origin of the name Atrim remains obscure.

Atram Bryonis , Atram Brian , Atram Bryan may refer to this part of Atrim (cf. Stoke Atram s.n. Hr Atrim in Symondsbury par. infra ): the affix is manorial, from the common ME  surname Brian , cf. also the TA f.n. Bryants Grd infra . The isolated form Ataham schrodan '1563Weld 2 (with a different manorial affix) may also belong here. The affix Est - (v. ēast ) certainly refers to the part in Netherbury: East Atram is given as an undated older spelling for Atrim by Hutch3 2 110.