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.

Soham

Early-attested site in the Parish of Hartington Middle Quarter

Historical Forms

  • Salham 1086 DB
  • Salvin 1244 FF
  • Salme 1415 DuLaMB
  • Grenesalme 1417 MinAcct
  • Soham 1830 FieldRate

Etymology

Soham (lost), Salham 1086 DB, Salvin (for Salum ) 1244 FF, Salme 1415DuLaMB , Grenesalme 1417MinAcct , Soham 1830Field Rate .Possibly 'at the willows', v. salh (dat.pl. salum ), -um . The Lysons were therefore correct in identifying this lost DB p.n. with a pasture in Hartington which they call Saum . No plan was available to the 1830Field Rate , but from the position of the names it was apparently situated between Glutton and Fernydale.