Pavenham
Major Settlement in the Parish of Pavenham
Historical Forms
- Pabeneham 1086 DB
- Pabeham 1227 Ass 1242 Fees807 1247 Ass
- Papeham 1240 Ass
- Pabenham 1240 Ass 1266 FF 1276,1287 Ass 1302,1316 FA 1322 1344 Pat 1346 1348 Ipm 1388,1427 BM 1526 LS 1535 VE
- Pabbeham 1247 Ass 1276 Ass
- Pakenham 1276 Ass 16th BHRSviii.148
- Pabham 1283 Cl
- Papenham 1302 FA 1344 Pat 1383 Cl 1406 IpmR
- Pavenham 1492 Ipm Eliz ChancP
- Patenham 1576 Saxton 1675 Ogilby
- Patinham c.1750 Bowen
- Pavingham 1766 J 1806 Lysons 1820 Jury
Etymology
'Papa's ham.' The phonology of this name is not easy, for it is difficult to say whether one should take the first element originally to have been Paban - or Papan -. Writing in ignorance of the Pap - forms Skeat took the first element to be a pers. name Paba . The existence of such a name as this is doubtful and, if we start from Paba , the Pap - forms can only be explained by assimilation of the second to the initial consonant, a somewhat rare development. It is simpler to adopt the reverse process, take the pers. name Papa as the original one and explain the Pab - forms as due to voicing of p to b before n . For a name Papa Skeat gives good evidence under Papworth (PN C) where he quotes Papanholt from BCS 596. The only other possible explanation of the Pap -, Pab - forms is to take them as from alternative hypocoristic names Pappa , Pabba , showing the same alternative forms with voiced and unvoiced consonants which we find in other such names. The development of b to v is found elsewhere in Bavington (Nb), Baverstock (W), Averton for Abberton (Ess), and v. Aversley and Abbotsley infra 197, 252.The forms with k suggest a pronunciation in which dissimilation of Pap - to Pak - has taken place, while the modern pronunciation with a medial t shows assimilation to the following n . For some parallels to the consonantal changes, cf. the history of Hepmangrove infra 207, and cf. that of Collett (Bk), earlier Collick , and Colletts Green (Wo), earlier Colewyk .