Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Millum c.1180 Furness 1550 FF

• Muluum (sic) 1189–94 LaCh

• Mullum 1205 ib

• Miluun 1183–1216 DuLa

• Milnum c.1205,1287 Hesley 1300 Pat 1334 Ipm 1338 Cl

• Mylnom 1279 Ass

• Milnom 1282 DuLa

• Millun 1251 Pipe

• Milloun 1278 Ass

• Millon, Milon 1279 ib

• Milun 1338 Cl

• Melon, Mellon, Melom 1279 Ass

• Mellom 1405 Pat

• Millom 1303 FF

• Mill Holme 1533–8 ECP

• Mylneham or Mylham 1565 FF

• Above Millom, Beneath Millom 1625 PR

Etymology

The early forms make it clear that this is 'at the mills,' from mylnum , dative plural of myln, a useful parallel being Kilham (PN ERY 97), from cylnum . The numerous forms showing -ln - and the occasional appearance of u in the first syllable are conclusive. Millom and Millom Rural are distinguished as Above Millom , Beneath Millom 1625 PR.

The present name is not recorded till c. 1180, and it is likely that, as W. Farrer argued in Trans. of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society xviii, 94 and 97, it was earlier called Hougenai , the dative plural of haugr with the addition of ēg . Hougun , a manor held by Earl Tosti in 1065 and comprising five vills (with nineteen teamlands, four in Hougun , four in Bootle, four in Whicham, six in Hougenai and one in Kirksanton), was later represented by the manor of Millom.The site of Hougenai was perhaps at Millom Castle.