Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bylcham c.940 BCS737 14th CCC383 c.1000 c.1125

• (at) Belhcham, Bolcham 1045 ASWills 14th

• Belcham 1086 DB 1431–42 ECP

• Belcheam 1100–35 Colne, Abingdon

• Belcheham 1100–35 Colne

• bealham 1181 StP

• Beltham 1215 Fees

• Bealcham 1297 VStP

• Belcamp 1086 DB 1254 FF

• Belchamp(e) 1100–35 Colne 12th StP 1235 Ass 1273 Ipm 1552 FF

• Belchaump 1181 StP

• bealchamp ib.

• (de) Bello Cambo 1100–35 Abingdon

• Bello Campo 1254–5 Ass 1291 Tax c.1300 StP 1302 FF 1330 Londin

• Baldecamp 1181 StP

• Be(a)champ 1222–1300 StP 1428 FA

• Be(a)chaump 1265–85 FF

• Bewchamp 1381 SR

• Becham 1235 Cl 1437 Pat

• Belchampe of St Paul of London 1451 FF

• Belching Paule 1535 VE

• Water Bechampe alias Water Belchampe 1548 Pat

• Pooles Belsham t.Eliz ChancP

• Oton 1557 FF

• Ric', Will'i, Sci Pauli 1235 Ass

• Otes, Parva, Sancti Pauli London' 1254 ib.

• Ledene, William 1254 FF

• Oton, Willelmi 1255 Ass

• Cuntasse 1262 ib.

• Plumme 1265 ib., 1428 FA

• Abbots 1273 Ipm

• Seynt Pol(l) 1285 Ass, 1533 FF

• la Contesse 1285 FF

• Othonis, Simonis 1291 Tax

• Water- 1297 Ch, 1305 FF

• Otys, Willame 1303 FA

• Magna t. Ed 2 FF

• Canonicorum 1317 FF

• Willeme 1321 ib.

• Canouns 1322 Pat

• Poel 1327 SR

• Ottonis 1341 BM

• Poulis- 1343 FF

• Powel 1358 ib.

• William alias Water 1552 ib.

• Poles 1607 Kip

Etymology

This is a difficult name. It is clear that originally the second element was ham. The first element is probably a lost OE  bylc . The Belchamps are distributed along a ridge with some two to three miles between Belchamp Walter and Belchamp St Paul's, and it may be that bylc was the original name of this hill. bylc would be allied to the common word bulk which is probably a Scand. loan-word (cf. ON búlki , 'heap,' Dan bulk , 'lump, clod'). It is also clear that at an early stage the name was confused with the common French belchamp , beauchamp .

The various attributes occur as Ric ', Will 'i , Sci Pauli 1235Ass , Otes , Parva , Sancti Pauli London '1254 ib., Ledene , William 1254 FF, Oton , Willelmi 1255Ass , Cuntasse 1262 ib., Plumme 1265 ib., 1428 FA, Abbots 1273 Ipm, Seynt Pol (l )1285Ass , 1533FF , la Contesse 1285 FF, Othonis , Simonis 1291 Tax, Water -1297 Ch, 1305 FF, Otys , Willame 1303 FA, Magna t. Ed 2 FF, Canonicorum 1317FF , Willeme 1321 ib., Canouns 1322 Pat, Poel 1327SR , Ottonis 1341 BM, Poulis -1343FF , Powel 1358 ib., William alias Water 1552 ib., Poles 1607 Kip.

St Paul 's , Poel and Canonicorum because it belonged to St Paul 's Cathedral. Walter was also formerly called Great , Cuntasse (i.e. countess) because held by the Earls of Oxford, descendants of Aubrey de Vere, the Domesday holder, Simonis from Simon de Beauchamp (t. Stephen) and Willelmi from William , his son. Walter from Walter de Tey, a descendant of William de Beauchamp (M ii, 229, 230). Otton was formerly called Little and Plumme or Ledene (cf. Leaden Roding infra 493).Otton is a corruption of the Lat  Ottonis , gen. of Otto (Otys is the Old French gen.) and preserves the name of Otto (t. Hy 2), a descendant of Otto the goldsmith (aurifaber , aurifex ) who held Gestingthorpe (DB), and whose family were hereditary masters of the mint (VCH i, 350–1).