Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Clapeham 1086 DB 1165–77,c.1177 Furn 1303 KF 1443 Calv 1591 FF

• Clapehamme 1202–8 Ass

• Clapehame 1317 Furn

• Clepeam 1090–7 Kend

• Clapaham e.12 Kend

• Clapham 12 Font Hy2 MaryH6d c.1180,c.1200 Furn 1200–30,1220–50 Cockers 1259 RegAlbiv,34d 1641 Rates

• Clapa(a)m a.1177 Furn 1249 RegAlbiii,85d

• Claphaim 1165–77 Furn

• Clappaim 1214 ib

• Claypham 1421 Pat

Etymology

The first el. of Clapham, which is also the first el. of Clapdale infra , is probably an old name for Clapham Beck, as Ekwall has suggested, that is, an OE  Clæpe related to the German Klaffenbach and OHG  chlaffon 'to sound' and to OE  clappettan 'to throb, palpitate', ME  clappe 'a noise, a sudden noise, a bang', and ME  clappen 'to make a sudden loud noise, to strike with resounding blows'. The stream-name Clæpe would describe a noisy stream. The second el. is OE  hām 'homestead', with the occasional -haim spelling due to the influence of ON  heim.