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.

Hovingham

Major Settlement in the Parish of Hovingham

Historical Forms

  • Hovingham, Houingham, Hovyngham 1086 DB 1142–50 YCh
  • Hovingeham 1157 YCh 1228 Cl 1308 Ch

Etymology

Ekwall (PN in -ing 148) suggests that the first element is derived in some way or other from OE  hof 'temple.' It would seem probable that there is some connexion between this name and the lost Hoveton 66 infra , which can only have been some six miles to the north. If that is so, the further probability is that we have to do with a pers. name in both cases, and if so it is difficult to keep these names entirely apart from Hoveringham (Nt), Houringam (p), c. 1160 Db Charters no. 1397 and Houeringeham 1167 P. This latter name can only be explained on the basis of a name-theme Hof , to which Hofer would stand in the same relation as the Picer of Pickering 85infra to the recorded Pic . For the use of hof 'temple' as a name-theme we may compare the common use of Ealh - in OE, of which the earliest sense was also 'temple.'

Places in the same Parish