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.

Poundon

Major Settlement in the Parish of Poundon

Historical Forms

  • Paundon 1255 For
  • Pondon 1291 Tax
  • Powendone 1316 FA

Etymology

The paucity of forms and the corruptness of the first makes the etymology of this name very uncertain but it may be from OE  Pohhandun , Pohha being a name which is actually on record in OE and occurs in the name of Poughley (Berks). If so, the a in the first form is a mistake. Professor Zachrisson suggests alternatively derivation from OE  pawa , 'peacock,' possibly used as a pers. name. This would explain both the a - and the o - forms but the existence of such a name is very doubtful and the site forbids the idea of peacocks themselves.

Places in the same Parish

None