English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Bovingdon

Major Settlement in the Parish of Bovingdon

Historical Forms

  • Bovyndon c.1200 Miss 1309 Ch 1315 Pat
  • Bovendon c.1200 AD 1287,1302 Ass
  • Bovindon 1292 Ch 1321 Pat
  • Bovedon 1294 ib
  • Buvindon c.1200 Miss
  • Buvendon(e) t.Hy3 BM 1222 FF
  • Bunnendon (sic) 1268 Ch 1308

Etymology

As Bovingdon village lies in a depression in the Chilterns it is difficult to see how it could be described as 'above the down,' from OE  bufan dūne , as in Bovingdon (PN Bk 187).The first element is possibly the personal name Bōfa .