Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Baldoce 1135–54 Templars

• Baldok 1248 Ass 1274,1312 Pat 1292 FF

• Baldac 1168 P 1200 Cur 1428 FA

• Baldache 1185 Templars

• Baudac 1214 Cur 1428 FA

• Baudahc 13th Wymondley

• Baudok 1238 FF

• Balddok 1241 LiberA

Etymology

This town was founded by the Knights Templars in the 12th century as shown by the statement in Dugdale (vi, 820), “in qua terra ipsi construxerunt burgum qui dicitur Baudac.” Baldac is the OFr  form for Baghdad (Ital. Baldacco ), and Skeat (59) rightly suggested that the place was named by the Templars after the Arabian city. Ekwall (DEPN s. n .), notes that Mandeville and Skelton call Baghdad, Baldak and Baldock . Any attempt to interpret the final element as containing the word oak breaks down on the point that in the 12th century the form in Hertfordshire would clearly have been ok (e ), not ak (e ).Further, persistent c rather than k is against the English word.The alternative spelling of Baldac as Baldoc , Baldok , shows however that in the unstressed second element early confusion with the word oke readily arose.