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.

Lymm

Major Settlement in the Parish of Lymm

Historical Forms

  • Lime 1086 DB 12 Dow
  • Lyme c.1200 Whall
  • Lyma 12 Sheaf 17
  • Lima 13 Orm2
  • Limme 1194 Facs
  • Lymme e13 Whall
  • Limma l12 Orm2
  • Lymma 13 Bark
  • Lymm 1635 ChRR
  • Limm 1724 NotCestr
  • Lymmya 1270 Sheaf
  • Lym 13 Whall
  • Lim 1680 Sheaf
  • Lynm 1496 Sheaf
  • Lynne 1549 Pat
  • Limb 1673 AddCh

Etymology

'The torrent', v. hlimme (cf. OE hlimman 'to resound'), from the noise of Slitten Brook 135 in its course in a ravine through the middle of the village, cf. The Dingle infra . Limmya probably represents 'the Lymm stream', with ēa suffixed to the p.n. Cf. DEPN s.n.