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.

Bognor

Major Settlement in the Parish of Bognor

Historical Forms

  • Bucgan ora 680 BCS 10th
  • Bugenor' 1272 RH
  • Buggenor(e) 1275 Cl
  • Bykeneure 1248 Ass
  • Bogenor(e) 1270 FF 1296 SR 1405 Cicestr
  • Bowkenore 1491 Ct
  • Bagnor 1823 G

Etymology

'Bucge's ora or bank.' The 1248 form is due to confusion with Bignor infra 124. There is no doubt that the normal development of this name would have been to Bugnor (the forms with o in ME are spelling-forms with o for u ) and that pronunciation is perhaps suggested by Greenwood's spelling. The modem form is probably in part a spelling pronunciation and in part a piece of would-be polite English.

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site