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.

Munden

Early-attested site in the Parish of Watford

Historical Forms

  • Muridene 1097–1119 Gesta t.Ric1 Ch 1301
  • Meryden 1248 Ass
  • Meriden t.Ed1 StAlbansO
  • Mereden, Meryden 1546 LP
  • Myridene c.1300 Gesta
  • Myrydenmede 1349–96 ib
  • Murenden t.Ed1 StAlbansO
  • Murinden 1303 FA
  • Merenden 1314 SR t.Ed1 StAlbansO 1328 FF
  • Myrenden c.1380 Gesta
  • Mourenden, Moerden 1606,1607 ParReg(Aldenham)
  • Meriden al. Mournden 1628 Ipm
  • Meriden al. Merneden 1799 Recov

Etymology

This name goes back to OE  (æt þǣre ) myrigan dene , 'at the pleasant valley,' v. denu , the n of the inflected dative case surviving in the modern form, which may also have been influenced by Munden infra 133.