Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Frotesham 1086 DB 1581 AddCh

• Frotisham c.1296 Chol

• Frodesham 1096–1101(1280),1150 Chest 1184 P

• Froddesham 1270 Dugd 1582 Sheaf

• Froddysham 1580 AddCh

• Frodessam 1175 Facs

• Frodessham 1535 VE

• Frodsham 1211–29 Whall 1282 Court

• Frodshum e13,1346 Tab 1665 Sheaf

• Frodsam 1527 Orm2

• Fredesham c.1154 Dugd 1329 JRC 1216–72

• Fredesam 1329 Cl

• Frotheshamme c.1206 Dugd(p) 1615

• Frothesham 1238 P 1239 1239 Lib

• Frethesham 1237 P

• Frodeham 1239,1240 P 1246 Lib

• Fradesham 1245 Cl

• Fraddesham 1556 Pat

• Fradsham 1437 1557 Sheaf 1640 Orm2

• Fordesham 13 Tab 1297 Cl 1312 Pat 1324 Cl 1434 Dugd 1454 ChRR 1560 Sheaf

• Fordham 1325,1328,1338 Cl

• Fridesham 1351 BPR

• Fodersham 1351 BPR

• Flettesham 1437 Pat

Etymology

'Frōd's village', from the OE  pers.n. Frōd and hām. The same pers.n. appears in the form frodeshammespend (v. hamm , pynd ) BCS 335 for Flotham K, v. PNK 114, 118. Frodsham originally comprised both the town and the Lordship 228infra . The town was made a borough by charter of Ranulph iii (de Blundeville), earl of Chester 1181–1232, v. Orm2 ii46, cf. burgum de Frodesham 1209–28 (1389) Ch, 1328 P, Frodsham Town 1656 Orm2, Frodsham Borough and Frodsham Lordship , Frodsham Borough and Frodsham Fee , or Frodsham Township 1819 ib, v. burh , toun . That part of the original manor, which the earl retained out of the borough, continued to be called the Lordship of Frodsham, but in the earliest references that designation applied to the whole of the two townships and they continued always as part of one manor (Orm2 ii46).