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.

Couwhencatte

Early-attested site in the Parish of Burtholme

Historical Forms

  • Cumquencath 1169 Laner
  • Cumquenecath t.Hy2 ib
  • Cumquenecach c.1170,t.Hy2,c.1195,1243 Laner
  • Cumquen(e)catch c.1225,1256,1293 ib
  • Cunquenecat 1197 P
  • Cumquencat c.1225 Laner
  • Cumquenkat 1263 ib
  • Cumquenecat 1252 ib
  • Cumquinkat c.1230 Laner
  • Cumquenhat 1250 ib
  • Cumquenecac 1250 Laner
  • Couwhencatte 1357 GDR

Etymology

Dr J. R. H. Moorman points out for us that this should not, as in ScandCelts 110, 116, be identified with Cumcatch supra 66.

A British place-name. The first element is *cumbā 'valley' (Welsh  cwm ). The second is doubtless an OBrit personal name corresponding to OW Guencat (Book of Llandaff), Guyngat (Mab), OBret Guengat (Chrest, NSB) in Lesguengat 1326 'Guengat's court, palace'; it is a compound of gwin , gwen , 'white' and cad (*cat ) 'battle.'