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.

Cheam

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cheam

Historical Forms

  • Cegeham 675 BCS 13th
  • Cheham 933 BCS697 13th
  • Cegham 967 BCS1195 13th
  • Ceigham t.EdConf KCD896 c.1150
  • Ceiham 1086 DB
  • Cheiham 1199 Cur 1200 FF 1225 Ass
  • Cheyham 1254 FF 1291 Tax 1316 Ch 1428 FA
  • Westcheiham, Estcheiham 1225 Ass
  • Estcheyham 1332 SR
  • Estkeyham 1279 Ass
  • Chayham 1226 ClR 1279 Ass
  • Chaiham 1232 Pat
  • Est Cheham 1508 FF
  • Estchaym, Westchaym 1544 HMCvii
  • Cheyme 1569 FF
  • Chayme 1589 Moulton
  • Cheam 1680 IndexVillaris
  • Cheham al. Cheame 1722 Recov

Etymology

Ekwall (Studies 67) takes the first element of this name to be from a root *kaga or *kagi , related to Norw  dialectal kage ,'low stumps, small tree,' Swed  dialectal kage , 'stumps.' A derivative is the German kegel , 'cudgel,' etc., to which there may have been a related word in OE such as would explain Cheal (L), æt cegle 852 (c. 1200) BCS 464. It would be related to English dialectal cag , 'stump.' See further Hellquist s. v. kägel . The meaning of the Sr place-name would then be 'ham(m) by the place of stumps or underwood.'

Places in the same Parish

Other OS name