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.

Greatham

Major Settlement in the Parish of Greatham

Historical Forms

  • Gretha(m) 1086 DB
  • Gretheam 1101–18 AC
  • Gruteham t.Steph France
  • Grete(h)am 1121 AD464 1304–8 Ipm 1511 LP
  • Gretham 1230 Pat 1619 IpmR
  • Grettham 1708 Wills
  • Gratham 1510 LP 1564,1595 Wills
  • Gritham 1724 B

Etymology

This name is probably a compound of greot and ham(m), the name having reference to the sandy soil in the neighbourhood. Apart from the Gruteham form one might take the first element to be OE  grēat , 'great.'

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site